Ukraine and Hungary must closely work together – Hungarian State Secretary of Foreign Ministry after visit to Kyiv

Hungary is deeply involved in the reconstruction of Ukraine and close cooperation is the common path of the two countries, Levente Magyar, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said, following his visit to Kyiv on Monday. Magyar also visited Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital. This is the town which suffered extensive damage in the early stages of the war and where evidence of a massacre was found last year. Our colleagues also visited the region shortly after it was liberated, and brought back this video and this report.

A multi-purpose municipal service centre with a budget of around €10 million is expected to be completed in the autumn in the nearby village of Synyak. Plans include the construction of a medical clinic, a records office, a post office and an event hall, all of which is funded by the Hungarian government and coordinated by the Hungarian Ecumenical Relief Organisation.

During his official programme, the State Secretary also attended a kindergarten handover ceremony in Zahal'tsi and held meetings on the reconstruction work, Hungary's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and the situation of Ukrainian refugees in Hungary.

During the visit, the regulation of the language use and education of ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia was also raised. Regarding these issues, Levente Magyar said that "the Ukrainian legislative process that was started after the 2014 revolution resulted in a situation that is in many ways damaging for the Hungarians in Transcarpathia". In his opinion, the time has come to find a solution that is acceptable for the Hungarians in the Transcarpathian region, as well as for Budapest and Kyiv.