Hungarian PM to unblock cluster openings if Ukraine guarantees implementation of 11 minority-rights demands

May 29, 2026 - 11:12

Hungary's consent to opening negotiating clusters for Ukraine will be possible only after Kyiv guarantees implementation of the 11 conditions on the Hungarian national minority in Ukraine, put forward by Budapest under Viktor Orbán's previous government.

Source: a European Pravda correspondent from Brussels citing Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar after meeting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 29 May

Details: Magyar is demanding guarantees from Ukraine that it will fulfil the 11 demands on national minorities before Hungary agrees to the opening of negotiating clusters for Kyiv.

He pointed out that he had repeatedly stressed in the media the direct link between opening clusters for Ukraine and resolving issues concerning the Hungarian minority.

Quote from Magyar: "In fact, the most important thing for us is that we want to receive a guarantee that the 100,000 Hungarians living in Ukraine will once again be able to use their native language… at school, in the cultural sphere and in administration.

We have an 11-point proposal, which is not new to the Ukrainian government. As usual, it concerns educational, cultural and language rights. We expect the Ukrainian government to fulfil it."

More details: Magyar said that "this is nothing special" because in Europe and other parts of the world minorities "can use their native language, whether it concerns an orphan, a student, a mayor or someone else".

He said the technical level of negotiations with Ukraine is "very promising", and that several rounds of talks had already taken place.

Quote from Magyar: "We are discussing technicalities with the Ukrainian side. And I truly hope that we will soon be able to close this 11-point proposal."

More details: The prime minister emphasised that Ukraine must provide guarantees for the implementation of each of these points.

Background:

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar that the opening of clusters for Ukraine would be discussed at the European Council on 18-19 June
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, speaking at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in the Gymnich format on 27 May, urged the European Union to open all clusters for Ukraine in June as part of accession talks.
It was reported earlier that the European Commission was preparing to propose opening only the first of six clusters in Ukraine and Moldova's EU accession negotiations on 16 June.