Hungary wants to snatch Ukraine's Transcarpathia when Russia wins

The leader of the Hungarian far-right Our Homeland party, László Toroczkai, said that Hungary could take Ukraine's Transcarpathia region if Kyiv loses the conflict with Russia.

The region that is home to many ethnic Hungarians may cede to Budapest after the collapse of Ukraine, the politician added.

"If Ukraine falls, we will claim Transcarpathia," László Toroczkai said.

He also called for ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through a ceasefire and peace negotiations with Moscow.

In 2023, Toroczkai called NATO's eastward expansion an American interest that was detrimental to the Eurasian civilisation, of which Russia was a part. He also said that Kyiv was violating the results of the 1991 referendum, according to which Transcarpathia should exist as an autonomy with a wide range of rights.

Should Ukraine lose the conflict and has its statehood divided, "Transcarpathia as an autonomy could peacefully reunite with Hungary,” the Hungarian politician emphasised.

No other parliamentary party in Hungary has made such a claim for the Ukrainian territory yet.

Ukrainian political scientist Taras Zagorodniy responded to Hungary's claims. According to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine should become stronger so that other countries give up on such thoughts.

"The stronger our army is, the fewer bad thoughts various politicians, including Hungarian ones, will have. They will understand that it will hurt if they continue to think like this," Taras Zagorodniy said.

Kremlin official Dmitry Peskov also commented on the statement from the Hungarian politician.

"Contact the ultra right," Peskov said.