Ukraine has appointed Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka, responsible for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, to represent the country at talks in Budapest on Thursday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said. Kachka will be replacing Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
Szijjártó told the press the deterioration of Hungary-Ukraine ties is due to Ukraine’s curtailing of the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. He argued that Kyiv could restore these rights just as quickly as it recently amended its anti-corruption law under EU pressure.
Sybiha has previously criticized Szijjártó in strong terms, even accusing him of “moral decay” for allegedly ‘prioritizing’ energy concerns over Ukrainian children killed in Russian attacks. Despite the tensions, Szijjártó stressed his readiness for continued dialogue.
Kachka’s visit suggests that Kyiv may seek to put EU accession at the center of the discussions, rather than minority rights issues.
