Hungary agrees to lift veto on Ukraine's EU accession after minority rights deal

Hungary will lift its two-year veto on Ukraine's EU accession talks after reaching a deal on minority rights. The agreement, announced by new Prime Minister Péter Magyar, restores linguistic, educational, and cultural rights for 100,000 ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine. This breakthrough unblocks the first "cluster" of negotiations, with a formal opening conference expected on June 15, ending a deadlock imposed by former PM Viktor Orbán.

Hungary lifts Ukraine veto

• ▪The veto was previously imposed by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who cited concerns over minority rights as a key reason
• ▪The shift in Hungary's position was signaled at a meeting of EU ambassadors on June 3, 2026, allowing procedural steps to advance
• ▪Hungary has agreed to lift its two-year-long veto on Ukraine's bid to join the European Union

Hungarian minority rights agreement

• ▪The agreement covers the expansion of linguistic, educational, cultural, and political rights for the Hungarian minority
• ▪The breakthrough came after Hungary and Ukraine reached an agreement on the rights of the 100,000-strong Hungarian minority in Ukraine
• ▪Ukraine agreed to incorporate the terms of the deal into its legislation and its action plan for EU accession
• ▪Under the deal, Ukraine will restore minority schools, allow Hungarian in all school settings, and permit the use of Hungarian national symbols and flags

Ukraine EU membership progress

• ▪Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated Hungary will hold a legally binding referendum on Ukraine's membership if Ukraine completes all 33 accession chapters
• ▪Despite the agreement, Prime Minister Péter Magyar's government does not support an accelerated or fast-track membership process for Ukraine
• ▪The lifting of the veto allows for the opening of the first "cluster" of negotiating chapters in Ukraine's EU accession talks
• ▪An intergovernmental conference to formally open the first cluster is expected to take place on June 15 in Luxembourg

Péter Magyar election impact

• ▪On June 2, 2026, Péter Magyar stated he was "ready for us to open a new chapter in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations."
• ▪The change in Hungary's stance followed the election of Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who defeated his predecessor Viktor Orbán and promised to restore ties with Ukraine

EU accession cluster opening

• ▪For the past two years, Ukraine and Moldova, which are informally coupled as candidates, have been trying to unlock the first cluster of accession talks
• ▪The first accession cluster, known as "fundamentals," covers the rule of law, human rights, and the judiciary