Zelenskyy and Magyar Reset Ties to Advance EU Accession

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar held their first bilateral meeting on October 16 during an EU summit in Brussels to reset strained diplomatic relations. The thaw follows years of friction under former Hungarian leadership and was precipitated by the Ukrainian parliament's October 12 passage of legislation expanding native language education rights for the Hungarian-speaking minority in the Zakarpattia region.

In response to the legislation, the Government of Hungary lifted its veto on two European Union accession negotiation clusters—internal market and competitiveness, and inclusive growth—which opened on October 13. During their meeting, Magyar expressed full solidarity against Russian aggression and offered diplomatic assistance to secure a ceasefire. The two leaders agreed to resume joint work at various levels, exchange visits, and continue ministerial consultations on minority rights.

Zelenskyy has been invited to Budapest for the 70th anniversary of the 1956 uprising on October 23, though a final date remains unconfirmed. A future meeting in Berehove, Ukraine, was also proposed. Separately, Zelenskyy announced in Brussels that Ukraine is negotiating with EU partners to establish a separate European track for dialogue with Russia. This channel would operate alongside other processes, including those involving the United States, to create multiple pathways toward a diplomatic settlement to the war.