Zelenskyy meets Hungary's Magyar for first time as countries seek to rebuild ties
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first in-person meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar in Brussels on October 16, as the two countries seek to improve relations following a change of government in Hungary.
Magyar said the leaders discussed steps to strengthen the rights of Ukraine's ethnic Hungarian minority and agreed to continue consultations at the ministerial level.
In a Facebook post, Magyar welcomed a political agreement between Kyiv and Budapest on minority rights in Ukraine's western Zakarpattia Oblast.
He described Ukraine's adoption of legislation on minority-language education and the start of its implementation as a first step toward restoring mutual trust.
Magyar also thanked Ukraine's parliament for a September resolution recognizing crimes committed against ethnic Hungarians in Zakarpattia between 1944 and 1946, including forced labor and mass deportations.
The two leaders agreed to continue discussions on improving conditions for national minorities in both countries and developing political and economic relations on a new basis.
Magyar expressed solidarity with Ukraine over Russia's ongoing invasion.
He said Hungary was prepared to use all available diplomatic means to help achieve an early ceasefire and lasting peace.
Speaking at a briefing later that day, Zelenskyy described the meeting as "very good" and said they had discussed bilateral relations, economic issues and logistics.
Asked about a possible visit to Budapest, where he has reportedly been invited to attend events marking the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution on October 23, Zelenskyy said he was open to the idea.
"It is not so important who visits whom first. What matters is that we are moving toward each other," he said.