Hungarian Prime Minister says Ukrainian President unlikely to visit Budapest

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said he does not expect Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit Budapest later in October, Euronews reported. In an interview published on Saturday, Magyar stated that attendance by Zelenskyy is unlikely, even though an invitation was extended to Kyiv. More than 100 politicians have been invited to state ceremonies on 23 October to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. [1]

The potential visit followed earlier reports from AOL, Hromadske, The New Voice of Ukraine, and UA.NEWS that Zelenskyy was invited to Budapest for talks as both countries moved toward a diplomatic reset. Euronews reported that a deputy chief of staff for Zelenskyy confirmed earlier in the week that the Ukrainian leader had been invited to the October anniversary events. The New Voice of Ukraine added that the two leaders agreed to exchange visits following a meeting in Brussels. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, diplomatic efforts between the nations progressed after Ukraine passed a minority rights law strengthening protections for minority languages in schools and cultural events. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were expected to meet in Brussels after that legislation passed. [10]

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has served as the president of Ukraine since 2019, leading the country through the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion that began in February 2022. [9]