Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent an open letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Madar, congratulating him and the Hungarian people on their national holiday — Saint Stephen's Day. As reported by RBC-Ukraine, the head of state emphasized that it is an honor for him to congratulate the "friendly Hungarian people" on behalf of the Ukrainian people and state. In his message, Zelensky focused on good neighborly relations, mutual respect, and the centuries-old history of the joint struggle for freedom and statehood, which, according to him, create a "solid foundation" for further development of partnership between Kyiv and Budapest.
Gratitude for support and humanitarian aid
In the letter, the President separately thanked Hungary for "consistent support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," as well as for solidarity "during this very important period for our country and all of Europe, defined by brutal Russian aggression." Zelensky specifically noted Hungary's humanitarian aid, support for the rehabilitation of Ukrainian children and military personnel, as well as Ukrainian citizens. The head of state stated that Ukraine values Hungary as a "good neighbor and reliable partner" and sees in the choice of the Hungarian people a "new page" in bilateral relations based on mutually beneficial cooperation, peace, and mutual understanding.
35th anniversary of diplomatic relations and invitation to Kyiv
Zelensky highlighted the symbolism of the moment: this year Ukraine and Hungary are marking the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The President confirmed his readiness for "open and constructive cooperation" to strengthen relations and a "common European future." In conclusion of the message, he expressed readiness to welcome Peter Madar in Kyiv at the earliest convenient time. Photos with the text of the letter were published in open sources, including on the page of the Ukrainian embassy in Hungary.
Contradictory data
The rhetoric of the official greeting noticeably diverges from the actual political dynamics. According to Financial Times, Hungary has blocked negotiations on two clusters regarding Ukraine's accession to the EU, and Madar's team is demanding not to accelerate the procedure for Kyiv's accession to the European Union. As noted in the context, Budapest's decision to block the negotiation clusters is not related to the quality of Kyiv's preparation but is due to bilateral political disputes. Thus, Zelensky's gratitude for "consistent support" coexists with the fact of blocking key stages of Ukraine's European integration. Furthermore, open sources record a discrepancy in dates: publications on the topic of clusters and the request not to block Ukraine's path to the EU are dated early July 2026, while the holiday of Saint Stephen's Day is celebrated on August 20, creating a discrepancy in the temporal context of the sent letter.
Context of European integration
Against the backdrop of these statements, the Ukrainian side previously expressed hope that Poland and Hungary would support the opening of clusters for Ukraine, and Zelensky directly appealed to Budapest and Warsaw not to block Kyiv's path to the EU. The open letter to Madar in this logic looks like an attempt at diplomatic rapprochement and "softening" the tone on the eve of the anniversary of diplomatic relations, however, without lifting the blockade of clusters, the gesture of goodwill remains predominantly declarative.
