Gergely Karácsony received the prestigious “Saviour City” award on behalf of Budapest directly from Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, in recognition of the Hungarian capital’s support for Ukraine since the outbreak of the war.

The award, established by the Ukrainian state in 2022 following Russia’s invasion, is presented to cities that have provided outstanding humanitarian assistance, solidarity and support to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees. Previous recipients include Paris, Warsaw, Prague and Vilnius.

In a Facebook post following the ceremony, Karácsony said he had accepted the honour personally from Zelensky in Kyiv and stressed that “Budapest truly provided tangible assistance” to Ukraine.

According to the mayor, Budapest supported its twin cities, Berehove and Kyiv, with donations, generators and technical equipment, while also helping refugees fleeing the war. He added that the city would continue doing everything possible to ensure Ukrainians arriving in Budapest “feel at home”.

Karácsony: Budapest kept its “moral compass”

Karácsony used the occasion to deliver a strongly worded message about the war and Hungary’s previous foreign policy stance.

“We preserved our moral compass in an era of madness and evil,” he said, arguing that Budapest had consistently stood by Ukraine despite political pressure and “hate campaigns”.

During his speech in Kyiv, the mayor also criticised the former Fidesz government, saying it had attempted to turn Ukraine into a political target despite the country fighting for its freedom and sovereignty against Russian aggression.

Karácsony said Hungarians had repeatedly shown that the people of Hungary and Budapest were “not identical” with the policies of the former government.

He also recalled receiving a drawing from Ukrainian children who had fled to Budapest at the beginning of the war.

“That drawing is Budapest’s answer to the war: we must always stand on the side of humanity,” he said, adding that Ukraine had the right to peace, freedom and a European future.

Zelensky hopes for improved Hungary-Ukraine relations

Karácsony attended the International Summit of Cities and Regions in Kyiv, a major forum bringing together local and regional leaders and international partners to discuss resilience, reconstruction and infrastructure protection.

During the conference, Zelensky gave a special greeting to Karácsony and expressed hope that relations between Hungary and Ukraine could improve under Hungary’s new government.

“The Mayor of Budapest is also here today. I hope we can smooth out our relationship with Hungary. This is important for everyone in our region and across Europe,” the Ukrainian president said.

Zelensky also emphasised the importance of cooperation between cities and societies, arguing that Ukraine’s international support had never relied solely on relations between national leaders.

Representatives from numerous countries attended the summit, including Poland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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Budapest’s support for Ukraine dates back years

Karácsony has repeatedly travelled to Ukraine since the war began. Last autumn, he visited Transcarpathia carrying HUF 5 million worth of donations and attended the opening of the “Autumn Berehove” event.

At the time, he said that although Budapest and Berehove officially became sister cities nearly a decade ago, the two cities had “truly become brothers” only after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The mayor now believes the political changes in Hungary could open “a new chapter” in Hungary-Ukraine relations and potentially bring tangible progress for the Hungarian minority living in Transcarpathia.

Update: Karácsony in a shelter

According to Index, Mayor Gergely Karácsony had to be evacuated to a shelter. Index was informed that drones appeared in the sky: one turned away, the other was shot down by air defences, but Karácsony is safe.

The City Communications Office of the Mayor’s Office responded to Index’s questions:

“During the Mayor’s visit to Kyiv, there were two brief air raids due to drone strikes, but these are unfortunately commonplace in the Ukrainian capital. The Mayor stayed in a shelter during this time, following the security protocol, and continued his program after the air raids had passed. A heart-wrenching experience of the everyday lives of Ukrainian people for years.”

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Featured image: screenshot/Facebook/Karácsony Gergely