Magyar sworn in as Hungary's prime minister as Kyiv eyes reset in ties

Peter Magyar took office as Hungary’s prime minister on May 9, marking the end of Viktor Orbán’s 16-year tenure after his Tisza party defeated Orbán’s Fidesz in April’s parliamentary elections. Magyar, a former Fidesz insider who split from Orbán in 2024, won on a platform addressing voter frustration over rising costs, corruption, and failing public services, securing a supermajority of 141 seats in the 199-member parliament. The election defeat of Orbán, known for his pro-Moscow stance and obstruction of EU aid to Ukraine, raised hopes in Kyiv for a reset in relations. Magyar has condemned Russian aggression and affirmed Ukraine’s territorial integrity but ruled out sending military aid or accelerating Ukraine’s EU accession, instead tying progress to addressing Hungary’s minority rights in Ukraine. While Magyar pledged to restore relations with Brussels to unfreeze 17 billion euros in frozen EU funds and reduce Hungary’s energy dependence on Russia, he has not publicly committed to unblocking Ukraine’s EU accession talks. Polls indicate Hungarian skepticism toward supporting Ukraine, with opposition to both military and financial aid, though Brussels and Kyiv hope the first accession cluster could soon open under Magyar’s leadership. Magyar proposed meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berehove, a Hungarian-speaking town in western Ukraine, to discuss allegations of discrimination against the Hungarian minority, framed as Ukraine’s language laws. Kyiv has rejected these claims, stating its policies aim to strengthen national identity and counter Russification, while Hungary’s new government links a diplomatic reset to resolving this issue. The shift away from Orbán’s pro-Russia alignment is central to Magyar’s agenda, with his party emphasizing a return to closer EU cooperation. However, public opinion in Hungary remains divided, with many opposing aid to Ukraine and skeptical of Kyiv’s EU ambitions. The outcome of Magyar’s approach will hinge on balancing domestic political constraints with regional diplomatic expectations.