Head of President's Office reveals details of talks with Hungarian foreign minister on Ukraine's concessions on minorities

Andrii Yermak, Head of the President's Office of Ukraine, has described the "frank conversation" that he had with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó during the latter's visit to Uzhhorod, Ukraine, in January 2024, which resulted in Budapest presenting its demands regarding the rights of the Hungarian minority.

Source: Andrii Yermak in an interview with European Pravda

Details: Yermak said that he and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had a "very frank conversation".

"We said: look, you want to return as far as possible to the legislation that was in place a few years ago. We have a clear understanding of the issues where this is not possible. But please explain what you see as the problem now. And we are prepared to look for a way out, while at the same time, we are aware that the Hungarian community in Zakarpattia Oblast is mostly Ukrainian citizens," he added.

Yermak said that Szijjártó was also assured that Ukraine is ready to make progress with Hungary in issues where it sees no risks and is prepared to offer compromise solutions in other areas.

"To do this work, we have set up a group that all the relevant ministers will attend. They are discussing it, and the work is ongoing. And I know that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán noted at a meeting with the Ukrainian president that he welcomes the way this conversation is going," Yermak concluded.

He added that the only red line in these talks with Budapest is "our national interests".

Background:

• At the end of January, during the visit to Uzhhorod, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó handed the Ukrainian side a list of 11 demands intended to guarantee the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine. These requirements were included in the negotiating framework for Ukraine's accession to the EU.
• European Pravda has analysed the list of these demands in detail, including some that are categorically unacceptable to Ukraine, such as the recognition of all of Zakarpattia Oblast as "traditionally Hungarian".

Read more in detail: Orban's 11 demands: How Hungary crossed red lines again in blackmailing Ukraine on its path to the EU

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