Transcarpathia claim: Hungary's far-right inflames Ukraine tensions
Hungary's far-right Mi Hazank party ignited diplomatic tensions over the weekend by declaring its intention to claim the Ukrainian region of Transcarpathia if Ukraine loses its statehood due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
Party leader Laszlo Toroczkai made the provocative statement at a conference attended by fellow European nationalists, drawing applause from the crowd and raising immediate concerns in Kyiv. He asserted that Mi Hazank, the sole Hungarian party with this stance, stands ready to claim the region where roughly 150,000 Hungarians reside.
"If this war ends with Ukraine losing its statehood," Toroczkai declared, "we claim Transcarpathia." This conditional claim comes despite Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reaffirming support for Ukraine's sovereignty in December.
The Hungarian Foreign Ministry and Ukrainian Embassy in Budapest remained silent on Toroczkai's remarks, leaving the air thick with uncertainty. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is scheduled to meet Ukrainian counterparts in western Ukraine on Monday, potentially to lay the groundwork for a leader-level summit.
This controversial claim by Mi Hazank complicates Hungary's delicate relationship with Ukraine, already strained by disagreements over alleged restrictions on Hungarian language rights in Transcarpathia. Toroczkai's statement, made on a platform hosting other European far-right figures, further inflames regional tensions and casts a shadow over potential diplomatic reconciliation.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
