Hungary and Ukraine negotiate cooperation agreement amid tensions over ethnic Hungarian rights

Talks are underway on concluding a comprehensive cooperation agreement between Hungary and Ukraine, which must include the restoration of the rights of Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarian community, a spokesman for the foreign ministry said on Friday, in response to a statement made two days earlier by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Photo: MTI/Bodnár Boglárka

“We made it clear to the Ukrainian side during the talks that Ukraine’s intention to join NATO cannot be part of this agreement,” Máté Paczolay said.

“We have presented our position on this issue multiple times, and it remains unchanged. Ukraine’s accession to NATO would cause the outbreak of a third world war,” the spokesman added.

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