Ukrainian FM: Kyiv ready for new phase in relations with Hungary

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has stated that Ukraine is ready to open a new phase in its relations with Hungary following a recent phone conversation with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Anita Orbán.

In a post on X, referring to a telephone call held over the weekend, he thanked his colleague for the principled and swift response of the Hungarian government to the recent Russian strikes on Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports.

“I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to open a new, mutually beneficial chapter in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations without delay. We are prepared to work with the new Hungarian government on all issues of our bilateral agenda, including the national minority topic, with the aim of restoring trust and good-neighborly relations between our countries,” he noted.

Over the weekend, I had a constructive and substantive call with Hungary’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, @_OrbanAnita.

I thanked my colleague for the Hungarian government’s principled and swift reaction to the latest Russian strikes against Ukraine.

I…

— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) May 18, 2026

According to him, Kyiv agreed to hold a round of expert Ukrainian–Hungarian consultations already this week in order to find practical and effective solutions for the Hungarian minority in the Zakarpattia region that will be beneficial for both countries and bilateral relations.

“Our goal is to ensure European standards and practices. We also discussed a broader regional, European, and international agenda. I touched upon the issue of Ukraine’s EU accession path and reiterated our readiness for the sooner opening of negotiation clusters,” Sybiha added.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov