Taras Kachka, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has said that the main reason Budapest blocks Ukraine's progress towards the EU is Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's political stance rather than issues concerning the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, adding that this stance is not supported in Hungarian society.

Source: European Pravda, citing Kachka at the Re:Open Zakarpattia forum

Details: Kachka said that the Hungarian government's demands on education do not amount to a systemic issue.

Quote: "These are a few targeted proposals and remarks that in no way change our approach to education or to our language policy in education. It is therefore easy for us to discuss them. They do not roll back our education reform or our language policy."

More details: Kachka added that there are no major problems that could be "inflated into something enormous", and that the process has "a perfectly normal working dynamic".

Quote: "But it is obvious that there is a big political question being set by Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister [of Hungary]. I think that we should focus on him personally and on what he is declaring in the course of the parliamentary election campaign in Hungary, namely that he does not see Ukraine's future in the EU."

More details: Kachka noted that Orbán's position is a mistake.

Quote: "First, 26 EU member states see it, the European institutions see it and a significant part of Hungarian society sees Ukraine in the European Union. It is therefore clear that Prime Minister Orbán's position is wrong… Reading the press about how the election campaign is going now in Hungary, we understand that this does not resonate with Hungarian society."

More details: Kachka also said that Hungary should approve the opening of negotiating clusters and allow Ukraine to meet all the conditions, while also debating the terms of a future agreement between Ukraine and the EU.

Quote: "If Prime Minister Orbán has alternatives, he is welcome to table them. We disagree with them. No one agrees with them, yet we are ready to persuade him."

More details: The Ukrainian deputy prime minister said he believes it will be possible, sooner or later, to persuade Orbán and unblock the negotiating process.

Quote: "Ultimately, Ukraine's integration into the European Union is the best way to protect the rights and support the development of Hungarian communities in Ukraine, and Budapest understands this."

Background:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier that Budapest's obstruction of Ukraine's EU path effectively supports Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
• Orbán in response complained about Zelenskyy's "ingratitude" for Hungary's assistance.

Read more: How crisis is growing within Orbán's party and why the attack on Ukraine failed to be its lifeline

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