Hungary and Ukraine

Hungary

1. Recognition of Ukraine’s independence: 

Hungary was the third country after Poland and Canada to recognize Ukraine’s independence on December 3, 1991.

 2. Diplomatic relations: 

On December 3, 1991, the Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Hungary was signed and entered into force. Thus, Hungary became the first country with which Ukraine established diplomatic relations after the restoration of its independence. On the same day, Hungary was the first to open its embassy in the Ukrainian capital, and on March 24, 1992, the Ukrainian embassy in Hungary was solemnly opened and became the first diplomatic mission of Ukraine abroad.

3. Political relations:

Bilateral relations between Ukraine and Hungary are among the priorities for the Ukrainian side in view of the neighborhood of the two countries, Hungary’s membership in the EU and NATO, as well as Ukraine’s interest in cooperation with the Visegrad Group.

An important aspect in bilateral relations is the residence of about 150,000 ethnic Hungarians on the territory of Ukraine, and over 7,000 Ukrainians on the territory of Hungary.

President of Hungary János Áder took part in the inaugural Summit of the Crimea Platform on August 23, 2021. Hungary joined the Declaration of the Crimea Platform.  On November 26, 2022 President of Hungary Katalin Novák paid a visit to Kyiv to participate in the Grain Initiative of the President of Ukraine and in the events to mark the 90^th anniversary of Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine. 

The last telephone conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán took place on June 21, 2022.

The last in-person meeting at the level of heads of foreign ministries of the two countries took place on July 22, 2021, during the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó to Ukraine as a Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. On December 27, 2021 the last telephone conversation between Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó was held.

A number of joint bilateral commissions and working groups have been established between Ukraine and Hungary, the key ones are the Joint Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Hungarian Commission on Economic Cooperation, Ukrainian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Cross-Border Cooperation, Ukrainian-Hungarian Joint Commission on Ensuring the Rights of National Minorities, Ukrainian-Hungarian working Group on Education, Ukrainian-Hungarian Joint Commission on Border Traffic Control and Ukrainian-Hungarian Working Group on Agriculture.

In addition, Hungary joined the Grain from Ukraine initiative, allocating about 3.5 million USD for the exports of Ukrainian grain.

4. Trade and economic cooperation: 

According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, export of goods from Ukraine to Hungary in 12 months of 2022 amounted to 2.274 billion USD (increased by 39.6%), import of goods – 1.284 billion USD (decreased by 46.7%), trade balance is positive – 989.8 million dollars. USA.

The main export goods from Ukraine to Hungary in 2022 were: electronic heating devices and devices; electric irons, corn, sunflower seeds, insulated wires, cables and other insulated electrical conductors; fiber-optic cables, electrical telephone or telegraph devices; videophones, sunflower, safflower or cottonseed oils. The main goods imported from Hungary to Ukraine in 2022 were: petroleum gases, insulated wires, cables and other insulated electrical conductors; fiber-optic cables, passenger cars and other motor vehicles, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, disinfectants, pharmaceuticals dosed or packaged for retail trade, animal feed products.

According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of December 31, 2021, Hungary invested 377.9 million USD to the economy of Ukraine, which accounted for about 1% of the total volume of direct investments to Ukraine, Ukraine invested to Hungary – 4.4 million USD.

 5. Legal framework:

The legal basis of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations covers a wide range of cooperation in the political and economic spheres, transport, culture and education, social and consular issues. It consists of over a hundred international agreements and treaties. The main document is the Treaty on the Foundations of Good-Neighborly Relations and Cooperation between Ukraine and the Republic of Hungary, signed on December 6, 1991 (entered into force on June 16, 1993).

6. Ukrainian community:

The Ukrainian minority in Hungary consists of mostly natives of Western Ukraine, who moved to Hungary during the second half of the 20th century. These are mostly first- and second-generation Ukrainian migrants, who started families or moved to Hungary for permanent residence together with Ukrainian families.

According to the latest Hungarian population census (October – November 2011), 7,396 people identified themselves as Ukrainians on the territory of Hungary. The Ukrainian ethnic group was ranked seventh among the 13 historical national minorities of Hungary (after the Roma, German, Slovak, Romanian and Croatian minority).

According to the census of the year 2011, 3,384 people in Hungary recognized Ukrainian as their mother tongue and actively followed national and cultural traditions. Among the persons belonging to the Ukrainian minority, 4,638 are citizens of Hungary (62.7%).

Several joint groups and cultural and educational organizations of the Ukrainian community are officially registered and operating in Hungary, the main ones are: Society of Ukrainian Culture of Hungary (TUKU), Ukrainian Cultural Association of Csongrad Region, Association of Ukrainian Youth and Families of Hungary “New Wave”, Ukrainian Association “Unity”. These organizations are members of the Advisory Council, established at the Embassy of Ukraine in Hungary on January 22, 2021.

7. Diplomatic missions of Ukraine and Hungary: 

Embassy of Ukraine in Hungary and Consulate of Ukraine in Nyiregyháza. There are also two honorary consular institutions in Hungary: Honorary Consulate General in Szeged and Honorary Consulate in Siófok.