On the subject of Ukraine and its language and minority education laws, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said there was “no hope for progress under the current administration”. He slammed the Ukrainian authorities for not allowing Hunor Kelemen, leader of Romania’s ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party, to enter the country on Saturday for the 30th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ), calling the move “a provocation”. “The move is a provocation of Hungarians and Romanians, which is no accident, because it was the Romanian and Hungarian governments that stood up most firmly in the interest of protecting Ukraine’s national minorities,” he said. Szijjártó voiced hope that after Ukraine’s presidential election, Hungary’s “pro-Ukrainian government” would be met by a “pro-Hungarian administration” in its north-eastern neighbour.

The foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to Hungary concerning Ukraine’s decision to ban a Romanian-Hungarian leader from entering the country. In a statement protesting against “yet another anti-Hungarian provocation”, the ministry said Ukraine’s “constant anti-Hungarian measures are unacceptable”. Ukraine’s leaders “consider Hungarians as enemies, which is outrageous and unacceptable,” the statement said. “Despite Ukraine’s dishonest measures” the Hungarian government is providing humanitarian aid to the country, it added.

Kelemen, head of Romania’s ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party, said on Saturday that he had been banned from entering Ukraine for 18 months. He was on his way to Uzhhorod (Ungvár) to attend a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of ethnic Hungarian organisation KMKSZ, when he was stopped at the border and denied entry without an explanation.