Hungarian election winner Peter Magyar has proposed a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in western Ukraine to discuss minority rights for ethnic Hungarians in the area, as stated in a Facebook post. Magyar, who won a constitutional majority after defeating nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban on April 12, plans to roll back Orban’s controversial reforms.
While Magyar does not have the same hostility toward Ukraine as Orban, he opposes fast-tracking EU membership for Kyiv and emphasizes the treatment of ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine. He aims to improve conditions for Hungarians in Transcarpathia to encourage them to stay in their homeland. Magyar asserted that it is crucial for Ukraine to restore rights for about 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, which could also facilitate the return of those who left due to the war.
He acknowledged the Ukrainian government’s promised educational concessions for 2025 but argued they fall short, urging progress toward European values. Ukrainian officials, including Zelenskiy, reacted positively to Magyar’s win and expressed readiness for cooperation.
With information from Reuters
