Hungary and Ukraine are moving closer to resolving a dispute over the rights of ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine, a breakthrough that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to Kyiv's EU accession path. According to Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán, Ukraine's deputy prime minister, Vsevolod Chsentsov, has personally confirmed that a bill on the educational rights of national minorities will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. "We welcome this step," she wrote on social media, adding that Budapest remains committed to "tangible results in the everyday life of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia."
The two governments agreed an 11-point plan in June to strengthen minority protections. In response, Hungary allowed two negotiating clusters to open in Ukraine's EU accession talks. But Budapest has since blocked further progress, insisting that Kyiv's parliament first adopt the legislation required under the deal. A bill covering language and cultural rights is expected before the Rada later in October, with the full package due by the end of the year.
A fragile thaw after years of hostility
Relations between Budapest and Kyiv deteriorated sharply under former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, whose government repeatedly clashed with Ukraine and stalled its EU membership bid. His successor, Péter Magyar, has sought to repair ties since taking office in May, though the minority rights question has remained a flashpoint.
Just two weeks ago, Magyar and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha publicly argued over President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's C8 regional development initiative. Sybiha accused Magyar of following in Orbán's footsteps after the Hungarian leader said his country had been included against its will. The latest understanding, first reported by Ukrainian outlet LIGA.net, followed intensive talks between experts from both sides who identified which parts of the 11-point plan Kyiv can realistically deliver.
Dániel Hegedűs, deputy director of the Institut für Europäische Politik, told Euronews that the move could reverse the recent negative trend in bilateral relations, but warned that the legislation still faces hurdles in the Rada. "Given the absence of stable majorities in the Verkhovna Rada, passing the legislation in October is an ambitious goal and a real test of whether the Ukrainian administration can regain political control over issues of strategic importance to the country's EU integration," he said.
What is at stake for Kyiv's EU bid
If Ukraine passes the minority package, Hungary could lift its veto on opening additional chapters in Kyiv's accession negotiations. Magyar and Zelenskyy had previously planned to meet, but the Hungarian leader made the talks conditional on progress over minority rights. Hungarian public opinion complicates the picture: after years of hostility towards Ukraine under Orbán, conservative voters remain wary of closer ties with Kyiv. Yet defending ethnic Hungarians abroad is also popular with conservatives, potentially giving Magyar political room to strike a deal.
"It remains to be seen whether passage of the law will secure Hungary's support for opening all negotiation clusters or only for some of them," Hegedűs said. "In the most positive scenario, passage of the minority law and Hungarian support for opening all negotiation clusters could mark a new era in relations between the two countries."
The diplomatic opening comes as Kyiv continues to press its case in Brussels on multiple fronts, including Ukraine's 2026 funding gap, which EU officials say has now been closed after weeks of negotiation. Hungary's veto has been one of the few remaining political barriers to the next stage of accession talks, alongside broader concerns about rule of law and minority protections across the bloc.
For now, all eyes are on the Verkhovna Rada. A successful vote in October would not only ease tensions between Budapest and Kyiv but also signal that Ukraine can deliver on politically sensitive commitments at a time when its EU path is being watched closely from Brussels to Berlin. Failure, by contrast, would leave Hungary's veto in place and deepen doubts about the pace of Kyiv's integration.
