Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Wednesday, May 20, that Ukraine has the right to defend its territorial integrity because its independence and borders were guaranteed under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.
Speaking during a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Magyar described Ukraine as “the victim” in the war and said Kyiv has the right to protect itself “by all means at its disposal.”
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“Ukraine is the victim, and it has every right to protect its territorial sovereignty and integrity by all means at its disposal,” Magyar said.
“The independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine were guaranteed by the Budapest Memorandum in 1994,” he added.
According to Magyar, any future security guarantees for Ukraine must be significantly stronger than previous international agreements.
The Hungarian prime minister also called for a long-term ceasefire as the first step toward ending the war, followed by negotiations on a lasting peace settlement.
The Budapest Memorandum was signed by Ukraine, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom after Kyiv agreed to give up the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal inherited following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In exchange, the signatories pledged to respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and existing borders and refrain from the use of force against the country. Russia violated the memorandum by occupying Crimea in 2014 and launching its full-scale invasion in 2022.
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Budapest links EU talks to minority rights
Magyar confirmed that Hungary and Ukraine launched technical consultations regarding the language, educational and cultural rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region. On Wednesday Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also announced that Ukraine and Hungary held online talks, aimed at reviving strained bilateral relations.
“Ukraine wants to open a new, mutually beneficial chapter in our bilateral relations based on trust,” Sybiha said in a statement published on X ahead of the talks.
According to the Hungarian prime minister, resolving the issue remains a key condition for Hungary’s approval of the opening of the first cluster in Ukraine’s European Union accession talks.
“We sent a message to the Ukrainian side, and technical consultations have begun regarding the language, cultural and other rights of the Hungarian minority living in Transcarpathia,” Magyar said.
“This is a prerequisite for us to give our approval for the opening of the first chapter in Ukraine’s EU accession,” he added.
Magyar said he hopes the negotiations between Kyiv and Budapest will move forward “quickly and successfully.”
Tusk warns of escalation risks
During the press conference, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that the risk of further escalation in the war remains high.
According to Tusk, NATO continues monitoring provocations and drone activity near the Alliance’s borders.
Magyar also reiterated plans to restore greater influence to the Visegrád Group within the European Union and consider its possible expansion.
Magyar visited Poland on Wednesday during his first official foreign trip as prime minister, seeking to improve ties with Warsaw, one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters within the EU.
Although Hungary remains heavily dependent on Russian energy imports, with most Russian oil supplies arriving through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline crossing Ukrainian territory, the country has summoned Russia’s ambassador over strikes on Ukraine.