Zelensky meets Transcarpathian Hungarians, FM Szijjártó lashes out

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met representatives of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, including soldiers serving in Ukraine’s defence forces, in a highly symbolic visit that immediately sparked a fierce response from Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. The meeting took place just days before Hungary’s parliamentary election.

In a post on X, Zelensky said (in English and in Hungarian) that the talks focused on several practical and urgent issues: preparations for next winter, the relocation and support of businesses, the role of local municipalities in stabilising budgets, the return of Ukrainians currently abroad, and the rehabilitation of soldiers and veterans. He also thanked the local Hungarian community for its resilience during what he described as a difficult winter and for supporting Ukraine’s frontline efforts against Russian attacks.

The Ukrainian president also presented awards to Hungarian-origin soldiers from the region, thanking them for their service in defending Ukraine’s airspace as well as critical civilian infrastructure.

Szijjártó accuses Zelensky of “playing theatre”

The visit drew an immediate and unusually sharp reaction from Szijjártó, who accused Zelensky of staging a political performance ahead of Hungary’s election.

According to the Hungarian foreign minister, the Ukrainian leader should not be “playing theatre in Transcarpathia three days before the parliamentary election”, but should instead focus on ending what Budapest describes as forced conscription practices and restoring the minority and mother-tongue rights that Hungary says were stripped from the Transcarpathian Hungarian community in 2015.

Szijjártó repeated long-standing Hungarian government claims that Kyiv has failed to adequately protect the rights of the Hungarian minority in western Ukraine, particularly in the areas of education and language use.

I met with representatives of the Hungarian community of Zakarpattia, including military personnel. We spoke and discussed many important issues – above all, preparations for the next winter, business relocation, the role of local self-government in filling the budget, the return… pic.twitter.com/Wc78TCh0SG

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 9, 2026

Visit lands during Hungary-Ukraine political tensions

The clash comes at an exceptionally sensitive political moment. Hungary’s election campaign has already been dominated by foreign policy tensions, allegations of outside interference, and the fallout from recently leaked conversations involving Szijjártó and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Fresh leaks published this week suggest the Hungarian foreign minister briefed Moscow on key EU discussions related to Ukraine and even offered to share EU documents concerning accession talks. The revelations have intensified scrutiny of Budapest’s Russia policy and placed even more attention on any Hungary-Ukraine flashpoint.

Against this backdrop, Zelensky’s decision to visibly engage with the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia appears likely to fuel further debate inside Hungary, where the government has repeatedly used the issue of minority rights in Ukraine as a central foreign policy talking point.

Why this matters for Hungary

For readers in Hungary, the timing is crucial. With the parliamentary election only two days away, the dispute could quickly become another campaign issue, especially as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government continues to frame Ukraine-related questions through the lens of sovereignty, minority protection, and EU pressure.