In Hungary, the mayors of seven cities and four districts of Budapest, which are sister cities to Ukrainian settlements, have issued an open letter calling for assistance to Ukraine ahead of a harsh winter. The document, published on the official website of the Budapest City Council, was signed by the leaders of Szeged, Székesfehérvár, Érd, Gödöllő, Hódmezővásárhely, Szombathely, and Budaörs, as well as representatives of four Budapest districts. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the text of the letter.
The 1956 Revolution as a Historical Parallel
The preparation of the letter was timed to coincide with the approaching 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight of 1956. In the text, the authors draw a direct historical parallel: what the revolution meant to Hungarians, the war against Russian aggression means to Ukrainians today. "We strongly condemn the full-scale war unleashed by the political leadership of Russia against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for more than four and a half years. There can be no historical image, political interest, or great power aspiration for dominance that could justify a military invasion of an independent country," the signatories state.
Commitment to Winter Preparations
The mayors emphasize that the status of twin cities is not only about ceremonial agreements, mutual visits, and joint events, but also about the readiness to help each other in trouble. In particular, on the eve of winter, which, according to their assessment, could prove difficult for Ukraine. The signatories commit "to use all available means, within our capabilities, to assist the respective Ukrainian settlements, paying special attention to preparations for the approaching winter and the urgent humanitarian needs of the population."
Call to All Hungarian Municipalities
In addition to their own commitment, the authors of the letter appeal to all local self-government bodies in Hungary that maintain twin-city relations with Ukrainian settlements or intend to establish them. The mayors urge their colleagues to contact Ukrainian partners, assess their needs, and mobilize residents, communities, institutions, public organizations, and enterprises to provide assistance. Thus, the initiative takes on the character of an open call to expand the circle of participants.
Context: The First Meeting Between Zelenskyy and Magyar
The letter appeared against the backdrop of growing momentum in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations. On October 16, 2026, the first official meeting took place between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar. The negotiations were held in a tete-a-tete format, with no delegations joining them. The focus of the discussion was Ukraine's accession to the European Union and the closure of the fourth and fifth clusters by the end of 2026, as well as bilateral relations and the rights of national minorities.
Grain Transit and Recognition of Historical Crimes
During the same meeting, Magyar publicly thanked the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for a decision officially recognizing that crimes were committed against Transcarpathian Hungarians during deportations and forced labor in 1944 and 1946. In addition, the Hungarian Prime Minister stated that his country's authorities are ready to allow and secure the transit of Ukrainian grain through Hungarian territory. The combination of these steps and the open letter from the eleven mayors form a picture of a gradual rapprochement of positions between the two countries at both the central government and local self-government levels.
