Ukraine, Hungary holding talks on ways to improve bilateral relations
High-level Ukrainian and Hungarian delegations held an online meeting to discuss ways to address key issues on the bilateral agenda, the press service of the President’s Office of Ukraine has reported.
Yermak noted that out of 11 points proposed by the Hungarian side, five have already been agreed upon. There are agreed positions on the issues of national communities that have been elaborated and preliminarily set out by the working groups. The work is ongoing and will be finalized as soon as possible.
Significant progress has also been made in expanding logistics and transport capabilities at the common border. Specifically, this month, trucks will be allowed to pass through the Luzhanka – Beregsurány checkpoint without weight restrictions. In addition, a new checkpoint Velyka Palad – Nagyhódos will be opened. This will help reduce queues at the border with Hungary.
"New perspectives in the economic, infrastructure, social and other areas will enable both our countries to become stronger and more prosperous. Joint working groups have been formed in each of these areas. They have already developed a package of effective solutions," the Head of the President’s Office said.
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna clarified that the Ukrainian side would present concrete steps on each block of issues.
"It is important for us that the agreements reached are not only agreed upon, but also formalized. Today, we will present our position in the form of concrete steps that the Ukrainian side sees for each of the blocks of issues related to bilateral relations in terms of protecting the Hungarian national minority. We are ready to hold the next meeting as soon as possible," Stefanishyna emphasized.
The Ukrainian delegation was chaired by Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Olha Stefanishyna and Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Heads of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva and Olena Kovalska, Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi, Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis, Head of the Subcommittee on Higher Education of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovation Yuliia Hryshyna, Head of the Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration Viktor Mykyta, and Head of the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelenskyi. The Hungarian delegation was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó.