hvg.hu<\/a>.<\/p>\nThis is not only about the importance of Ukraine joining the European Union or the desire to ensure the free transit of Ukrainian agricultural products through Hungary. The Ukrainian leadership wants to build strategic partnerships with all neighboring states.<\/p>\n
\u2013 a Ukrainian official<\/p>\n
Kyiv views the first steps taken by P\u00e9ter Magyar\u2019s government on issues concerning Ukraine positively. In particular, Ukrainian interlocutors believe that within three weeks, the new authorities have done more to protect the rights of the Hungarian-speaking minority than the Orb\u00e1n government did in 16 years.<\/p>\n
Other achievements cited include ending the blockage of a \u20ac90 billion European Union aid package for Ukraine and supporting new sanctions against Russia. Kyiv also separately says that the so-called golden convoy issue, which had negatively affected relations between the two countries for a long time, has been resolved.<\/p>\n
We also resolved the golden convoy issue, which had seriously poisoned bilateral relations. Within 100 days, we managed to normalize the situation, even though the leaders of the two countries had not held a meeting at the highest level. At the same time, the foreign ministries established contact immediately after the election, even before Anita Orb\u00e1n was appointed.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Ukrainian diplomatic sources<\/p>\n
According to the Ukrainian side, Kyiv and Budapest have already agreed on the format of the future meeting. It is expected to take place in September in Budapest or Kyiv. After that, P\u00e9ter Magyar and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to visit Berehove.<\/p>\n
Hungary Blocks Negotiations on Ukraine\u2019s EU Accession<\/p>\n
Despite the improved rhetoric, Budapest\u2019s position on negotiations over Ukraine\u2019s accession to the European Union remains the main problem. Of the six negotiating clusters, Hungary has agreed to open only two, and over the past few weeks it has obstructed the further progress of the negotiations three times.<\/p>\n
Kyiv and EU leadership believe that Ukraine has fulfilled the necessary requirements to open all the negotiating clusters. In particular, the Ukrainian government approved a provision allowing a class or study group with Hungarian as the language of instruction to be opened even if only one student is enrolled.<\/p>\n
The influence of the previous government\u2019s propaganda can be felt. It claimed that opening all the clusters meant accelerated accession to the European Union. That is not true. Ukraine has fulfilled all the requirements. Opening the clusters is also in Hungary\u2019s interests, because that is when negotiations can begin and issues important to Budapest can be discussed. If someone genuinely wants the accession terms to better reflect Hungary\u2019s interests, negotiations are the best way forward.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Ukrainian diplomatic sources<\/p>\n
For Ukraine, opening the negotiating clusters is of fundamental importance, as Kyiv views EU membership as a matter of the country\u2019s future. Assessing the actions of the Hungarian government, Ukrainian representatives said that, without taking the cluster issue into account, their satisfaction level was 100 percent, while including the blockage \u2013 only two clusters out of six \u2013 brings it to approximately 33 percent.<\/p>\n
Which Negotiating Clusters Concern Ukraine\u2019s Accession<\/p>\n
Accession negotiations with the European Union cover 35 thematic chapters grouped into six clusters:<\/p>\n
The first cluster \u2013 fundamentals. It includes the rule of law, fundamental rights, the judicial system, public procurement, statistics, and financial control.<\/p>\n
The second cluster \u2013 the internal market. It covers the free movement of goods, people, services, and capital, as well as competition law and intellectual property.<\/p>\n
The third cluster \u2013 competitiveness and inclusive growth. Its topics include digital transformation, economic policy, social policy, education, and industry.<\/p>\n
The fourth cluster \u2013 the green agenda and sustainable connectivity. It concerns environmental protection, transport, energy, and trans-European networks.<\/p>\n
The fifth cluster \u2013 resources, agriculture, and cohesion. It includes food security, fisheries, regional policy, and budgetary provisions.<\/p>\n
The sixth cluster \u2013 external relations, including the European Union\u2019s common foreign, security, and defense policy.<\/p>\n
Hungary supported opening the first and sixth clusters. At the same time, during the latest meetings, Budapest blocked the opening of the second and third clusters.<\/p>\n
Why Budapest May Be Slowing the Negotiating Process<\/p>\n
Ukrainian sources suggest that Magyar\u2019s government may be overestimating the influence of the previous authorities\u2019 propaganda and fearing a reaction from Hungarian society. In addition, Budapest allegedly does not want to give the opposition additional arguments for criticizing the government.<\/p>\n
Another possible reason cited is the desire to secure the disbursement of European Union funds to Hungary. Kyiv does not rule out the possibility that blocking certain decisions is being used as a tool of pressure in relations with Brussels.<\/p>\n
Ukraine, for its part, believes it has taken a number of steps to improve bilateral ties. These include appointing the current ambassador and the embassy diplomats\u2019 years-long efforts to restore contacts. Kyiv now awaits the new Hungarian government\u2019s decision on whom to appoint as ambassador to Ukraine.<\/p>\n
This will be a test. The other neighboring states have a pro-Western orientation and send diplomats to Ukraine who support its European course.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Ukrainian diplomatic sources<\/p>\n
Kyiv wants neighboring states to see Ukraine as part of their regional space. In this connection, Ukraine is preparing new initiatives: it will soon assume the chairmanship of the Central European Initiative and also plans to present its own project called the \u201cCarpathian Basin Initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ukraine and Hungary Seek Common Economic Interests<\/p>\n
At the same time, the Hungarian authorities have changed the tone of their communication at all levels. Kyiv considers the end of anti-Ukrainian propaganda important not only for Ukraine but also for Hungary itself, as it brings the discussion back to the real circumstances of bilateral relations.<\/p>\n
We no longer hear statements that someone \u2013 although it was never clear who \u2013 attacked a territory called Ukraine, a no-man\u2019s land. Ending the propaganda is certainly important to us, because we do not want to read lies about ourselves. But it also serves the interests of Hungarians: we have returned to a reality in which we are not enemies of one another and do not pose a threat to another state.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Ukrainian representatives<\/p>\n
Hungary did not block the transit of Ukrainian agricultural products. According to Ukrainian sources, since the new government took office, the two sides have been holding substantive consultations on increasing capacity, including through the development of railway infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Kyiv emphasizes that such cooperation could also benefit Hungary: it could generate additional revenue and contribute to the modernization of infrastructure in the country\u2019s eastern regions. The Ukrainian side also points to Poland\u2019s experience, where employed Ukrainians pay taxes and contribute to the growth of gross domestic product.<\/p>\n
Thus, Kyiv hopes to shift relations with Budapest from confrontational rhetoric to practical partnership. At the same time, Hungary\u2019s position on the negotiating clusters remains the main obstacle to further rapprochement and Ukraine\u2019s progress toward membership in the European Union.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A planned leadership meeting signals a thaw, but one unresolved issue could still derail Kyiv\u2019s European ambitions again.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":213721,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[16416],"tags":[95687,50,934,18443,12861,95686,325],"class_list":["post-213720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-peter-magyar","tag-hungary-blocks-ukraine","tag-news","tag-peter-magyar","tag-ukraine-eu-membership","tag-ukraine-hungary-relations","tag-ukraine-hungary-relations-eu-accession-talks-peter-magyar-volodymyr-zelenskyy-hungary-blocks-ukraine-ukraine-eu-membership","tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@people\/117208913351468800","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=213720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/213721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=213720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=213720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}