Volodymyr Zelensky to Meet Viktor Orban in Person?

The head of the Ukrainian president's office called Hungary's foreign minister by phone.

Brüsszel, 2023. február 9. Az Európai Tanács által közreadott képen Orbán Viktor miniszterelnök (j) és Volodimir Zelenszkij ukrán elnök kezet fog az Európai Tanács kétnapos brüsszeli tanácskozásának helyszínén 2023. február 9-én. MTI/Európai Tanács Fotó: -

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, who is on a visit in Washington, initiated a telephone conversation with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who is currently on a working visit in Ghana, foreign ministry spokesman Mate Paczolay told Hungary's state news agency MTI.

During the phone call, Andriy Yermak informed Peter Szijjarto that the Ukrainian parliament is preparing to adopt several important pieces of legislation, the spokesman said.  Hungary's foreign minister thanked and acknowledged the information 

"The two politicians agreed that they need to improve relations between Hungary and Ukraine and that the best way to achieve this is through direct personal dialogue. To this end, they agreed that Peter Szijjarto and Andriy Yermak will meet in person," the spokesman said.

During their discussion, Andriy Yermak proposed a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The Hungarian side is, of course, open to such a meeting, Peter Szijjarto responded, but a meeting only makes sense if there is a chance that it will have a positive outcome. "This requires thorough preparation and preliminary discussions," the spokesperson noted.

Andriy Yermak's post on X reveals that he called Peter Szijjarto specifically on instruction from Volodymyr Zelensky.

Following instructions of the President's of 🇺🇦, had a phone call with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade 🇭🇺, Péter Szijjártó during my visit to 🇺🇸. Discussed the progress of our country on the path of European integration.

— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) December 6, 2023

Twice cancelled

Just two days ago, Hungary's foreign minister complained on his Instagram page that he did not see openness to high-level consultations with Ukraine.

"I was contacted on Friday with a request to speak to Ukraine's deputy prime minister. I said I would be very happy to, and the time was agreed, but it was cancelled. There were plans for a meeting with the head of the Ukrainian president's office, I said I would delighted, but that was also cancelled. So, with this attitude, how can there be any prospect of a meeting between the top leaders of the two countries," Peter Szijjarto wrote.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukrainia's deputy PM for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of UkraineUkrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Sztefanisina admitted in Ukranian media that the negotiations were indeed called off, which she explained as actually only being postponed until she could provide specifics regarding the amendment to the law on minorities.

Budging from deadlock

In its analysis, the Karpati Igaz Szo also assessed the draft law as a move away from stalemate. As they write, differentiated guaranteed minority rights would go to those groups who make up at least 15 percent of the local population.

The vast majority of native Hungarian-inhabited Transcarpathian settlements fall into this category, but Hungarians living in smaller concentrations in other areas, for example in Uzhhorod (Ungvar) or Mukachevo (Munkacs), should also take heart as there is also a point in the proposed amendment stating that the rights of national minority communities can be extended to those who have lived in the local for a hundred years.

The history of Hungarians in Transcarpathia goes back not just 100, but 1100 years.

 In addition, if the provisions of the new draft were implemented, the quotas for teaching school subjects in Ukrainian would be abolished. The new draft would also be more permissive about regulating minority language book publishing and distribution, the portal recalls.

Ildiko Orosz, head of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association (KMPSZ), and the II. Rakoczi Ferenc Transcarpathian Hungarian College, welcomed that for the first time in many years the recommendations of Hungarian organizations are finally being heard at the government level. At the same time, she noted that the situation is still a far cry from the full return of minority rights that have been taken away since 2015.

Cover photo: Photo published by the European Council featuring Prime Minister Viktor Orban (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shaking hands at the two-day meeting of the European Council in Brussels on February 9, 2023 (Photo: MTI/European Council)