Péter Magyar welcomes Ukraine’s law on the language rights of minorities. The reform could unblock EU accession negotiations

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar welcomed on Monday Ukraine’s adoption of a law strengthening the linguistic rights of national minorities in education, a measure considered essential for relaunching relations between Budapest and Kyiv and for continuing Ukraine’s accession negotiations with the European Union.

Magyar said in parliament that the law represents a “good sign,” but warned that further steps are necessary to rebuild trust between the two countries. The reform addresses one of Hungary’s main conditions, concerning respect for the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, a region in western Ukraine with a large Hungarian-speaking population.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos described the adoption of the law as a “decisive step forward” and an essential condition for Ukraine to continue the reforms necessary for European integration. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also welcomed the vote and said it could enable the official opening of two new negotiating clusters with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

The dispute dates back to 2017, when a law requiring Ukrainian as the main language in secondary education led the Hungarian government headed by Viktor Orbán to block discussions on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Budapest lifted its veto in June, but continued to demand concrete progress in protecting the Hungarian minority.