--- title: "Eleven Hungarian Mayors Sign Letter Committing to Help Ukraine Survive the Winter" description: "Mayors of seven Hungarian cities and four Budapest districts have signed an open letter pledging to help Ukrainian sister cities prepare for winter. The document appeared amid the first meeting between Zelenskyy and Magyar." date: 2026-10-21T08:10:09.491Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/hungary-11-mayors-letter-help-ukraine-winter tags: [hungary, ukraine, mayors, winter-preparation, diplomacy, local-government, zelensky-magyar] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Eleven Hungarian Mayors Sign Letter Committing to Help Ukraine Survive the Winter ![Hungarian flag flown at half-mast on a flagpole against the backdrop of the historic dome of the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest.](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/21/vengriya-11-merov-pismo-pomoshch-ukraine-zima/vengriya-11-merov-pismo-pomoshch-ukraine-zima-1.webp) ## Key Points - Mayors of seven Hungarian cities and four Budapest districts signed an open letter pledging to help Ukrainian sister cities ahead of winter - The letter is timed to the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution; authors draw a parallel between the revolution and the Ukrainian war - Signatories urge all Hungarian municipalities with twin-city ties to Ukraine to join the initiative - The letter was published amid the first meeting between Zelenskyy and Magyar on October 16, 2026, discussing EU accession and grain transit 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. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [В Венгрии 11 мэров обязались помочь Украине в подготовке к зиме](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ugorshchini-11-meriv-zobov-yazalisya-dopomogti-1792569071.html) - The text of the letter was published on the Budapest City Council website; RBC-Ukraine provides a direct link and quotes. The list of 7 cities and 4 districts matches the headline '11 mayors'. The context of the Zelenskyy–Magyar meeting on 16.10.2026 is also confirmed in the same publication. ## FAQ ### How many Hungarian mayors signed the letter? A total of 11 people: mayors of seven cities (Szeged, Székesfehérvár, Érd, Gödöllő, Hódmezővásárhely, Szombathely, Budaörs) and four Budapest districts. ### What event is the letter timed to? The approaching 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight. ### What specifically do the signing mayors commit to doing? Using all available means to help Ukrainian twin cities, with a special focus on winter preparations and urgent humanitarian needs of the population. ### What is the context behind the publication of the letter? The letter appeared a few days after the first official meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Péter Magyar on October 16, 2026, which discussed Ukraine's EU accession, national minority rights, and the transit of Ukrainian grain through Hungary.