Full Breakdown
Hungarian Prime Minister Says Zelenskyy Unlikely to Attend 70th-Anniversary Revolution Commemoration
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Invitation and Expected Attendance
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar confirmed that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been invited to Budapest for the state ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. The event is scheduled for October 23 and will host more than 100 politicians. Despite the invitation, Magyar told 444.hu that he does not expect Zelenskyy to be present later this month.
Background and Diplomatic Context
Relations between Kyiv and Budapest have been strained for years by disputes that have repeatedly hindered Ukraine’s EU-membership progress. At the EU summit in Brussels, Magyar and Zelenskyy indicated they could meet again later in the year, signalling a tentative effort to reset ties. The invitation arrives amid these broader diplomatic overtures and follows a joint statement that the two leaders will continue talks at the ministerial level, with a focus on improving the situation of minorities in both countries.
Official Statements & Responses
Magyar emphasized his “full solidarity” with Ukraine and outlined two possible travel scenarios: either he would travel to Kyiv and then proceed together to Beregszász, or Zelenskyy would come to Budapest and travel onward from there.
Zhovkva, Zelenskyy’s deputy chief of staff, confirmed that the Ukrainian president has received the invitation and that the October 23 ceremony will be held as planned. He added that the decision on attendance remains pending.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Either I will travel to Kyiv and from there we will go together to Beregszász, or the president will come to Budapest and from there we will go to Beregszász,” — Péter Magyar, hungarian prime minister
- “We have received an invitation. On 23 October, an event will be held to mark the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution,” — Zhovkva