Ukraine pledges to meet Hungary’s 11 key demands on minority rights to join EU – Deputy PM

Ukraine committed to fulfilling 11 proposals made by Hungary regarding the rights of national minorities, which are necessary for joining the European Union.

The Deputy Prime Minister-Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, announced at the First Intergovernmental Conference that negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU had started.

"Ukraine constantly and persistently confirms its determination to ensure good-neighborly relations with neighboring member states, including issues related to the protection of national minorities," the official stressed.

As Stefanishyna mentioned, Ukraine is "truly dedicated to resolving and fully implementing" 11 issues concerning the rights of national minorities, which Budapest specifically outlined. She also stressed that Ukraine and Hungary are currently discussing Budapest's proposals.

"We expect the same contribution to further mutual understanding, trust, and respect from our neighboring partners," the government official added.

At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that Hungary is also ready to protect the rights of national minorities, "agreed upon within the framework of dialogue and based on relevant agreements with Hungary, in good faith and as a contribution to mutual understanding, trust, and respect."

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It should be noted that after the European Commission officially recommended the EU states start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, Hungarian officials made loud statements:

• Hungary's President Katalin Novak stated that there cannot be relations between Hungary and Russia that would undermine Budapest's commitments to NATO,
• Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Szijjártó, said that Ukraine is unsuitable for EU membership until peace is achieved.

Subsequently, the Hungarian government also threatened to block the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, claiming that the rights of Hungarians in Ukraine were being violated.

In its turn, the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine's parliament – ed.] on December 8, 2023, expanded the rights of national minorities in Ukraine, primarily in the field of education, by adopting changes to laws and aligning them with the recommendations of the European Commission in order not to block the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU.

On June 15, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary announced that his country had lifted its veto on the start of negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the EU. Hungary managed to include all its conditions in the negotiating framework, based on which the negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union will take place.

It is worth adding that on June 25, the first Intergovernmental Conference on Ukraine's accession to the EU was held in Luxembourg, which would officially start the negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union.