Ukraine's ambassador to Budapest reveals what changes Ukraine can expect in relations with Hungary under Magyar

Ukraine's Ambassador to Hungary Fedir Shandor has said he is anticipating good-neighbourly relations with Budapest following the change of government in Hungary.

Source: Shandor in an interview with European Pravda

Details: Shandor said he believes a neighbour is closer than a relative. "A neighbour is always nearby, they share a border with you, and in difficult times they either help or turn away. That is why we look forward to having good-neighbourly relations with Hungary – the kind we had in the past and will certainly have again," he said.

The ambassador mentioned some examples from history: the first diplomatic mission that Ukraine established in the world was in Hungary, and Hungary was the first country to recognise the Holodomor [a man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine which lasted from 1932 to 1933 and claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians – ed.].

"In many difficult situations, such as during the floods in Zakarpattia Oblast, Hungary has been the first to provide help. We have previously received reverse gas and reverse oil flows from Hungary. And so on," Shandor noted.

"So we expect a renewal of good-neighbourly relations. We are ready for them, we are open, and the Hungarian people are open too – they demonstrated that at the elections," he added.

The ambassador also expects previously functioning mechanisms to start up again.

In particular, he mentioned the resumption of the work of the expert group on the rights of national minorities, as well as the reopening of the Hungarian-Ukrainian economic commission, which has not functioned since 2020.

The ambassador also reported that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has already been in contact with Anita Orbán, who is expected to take up the position of foreign minister in Péter Magyar's government.

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