Ukraine and Hungary reportedly agree on steps to unblock EU accession talks

October 2, 2026 at 01:22 AM2 min

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Ukraine and Hungary have reportedly reached a discreet agreement on a sequence of steps to unblock Ukraine's EU accession talks. The plan involves Ukraine adopting amendments to its education legislation agreed with national minorities, while Hungary stops blocking two negotiating clusters. A final decision is expected on October 13, with all clusters to be opened by the end of the year.

Key Facts

Ukraine is to adopt amendments to its education legislation agreed with representatives of national minorities, including the Hungarian minority.
Hungary must stop blocking Cluster No. 2, 'The Internal Market,' and Cluster No. 3, 'Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth' in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations.
A relevant bill has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, prepared with the participation of representatives of various national minorities.
A final decision on opening the clusters is expected on October 13, with all negotiating clusters to be opened by the end of the year.
The latest escalation began after the founding summit of the 'Carpathian Eight' in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, when Hungary's position changed and triggered a diplomatic conflict.

The Reported Agreement

Kyiv and Budapest have reached a discreet agreement on a sequence of steps intended to simultaneously take into account the interests of Ukraine, the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia, the Hungarian government, and the European Union. The plan involves an exchange of concrete actions: Ukraine adopts amendments to its education legislation agreed with representatives of national minorities, while Hungary stops blocking two clusters in the negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. A relevant bill has already been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, prepared with the participation of representatives of various national minorities, including the Hungarian minority. Preliminary estimates suggest that there are enough votes to pass the document.

Origins of the Crisis

The latest escalation began after the founding summit of the 'Carpathian Eight' in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, where Hungary initially agreed to participate but later changed its position, triggering a diplomatic conflict. Péter Magyar accused Ukraine of taking actions that had allegedly not been coordinated with the Hungarian government. At the same time, Naftogaz and the Hungarian company MOL had reached an agreement on building oil storage facilities for Ukraine, but the project was derailed after the prime minister's public statements. Budapest opposed the deal because it had been concluded without the participation of the Hungarian government.

Path to Reconciliation

Magyar's anti-Ukrainian rhetoric was also heard in parliament in response to criticism from Viktor Orbán's party, whose representatives accused the government of pursuing an excessively pro-Ukrainian policy. Kyiv did not respond in kind; instead, within just a few days, Budapest began looking for ways to restore dialogue. For the Hungarian authorities, the consequences of blocking Ukraine's path to the EU were becoming increasingly unacceptable, both domestically and in relations with other European capitals. The turning point came during talks held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.