Dmytro Kuleba: Ukrainian-Hungarian Relations Require Cool Head and Warm Heart Approach

On 27 January, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó, who arrived in Kyiv at Kuleba’s invitation.

The ministers spoke frankly about the current state and prospects of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations against the background of the aggravation caused by the actions of some Hungarian officials and their interference in the election process in Ukraine.

Kuleba stressed Ukraine’s constructive approach to resolving issues of national minorities.

“There is no reason to believe that the Hungarian community in Ukraine is prone to separatism. Just as there is no reason to believe that the Ukrainian state wants to do any harm to the Ukrainian Hungarians living in Zakarpattia region. We are one country, one society, and we will always be like that,” he stressed.

The Minister noted that despite the difficulties in the relationship, some things remain behind the brackets. Among them are Hungary’s consistent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in countering Russian aggression, Hungary’s support for Ukraine in the EU, joint efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and the rehabilitation of Ukrainian children in Hungary who have suffered from Russian aggression in Donbas.

“Today, we spoke as partners and friends who want to solve problems but not create new ones. We have agreed that a meeting of the Ukraine-Hungary working group on education will take place in the near future, as well as an online business forum between Ukrainian and Hungarian entrepreneurs,” Kuleba said.

Natalia Tolub