Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has approved the decision to accept the credentials of Ukraine’s Ambassador to Budapest Fedir Shandor, a Professor of Uzhhorod National University and a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As ATV TV channel reports, in accordance with the procedure, the signed decision of Hungarian President Katalin Novák regarding the appointment of a new ambassador of Ukraine was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for countersigning by the minister.

The president's decision will become official when Ambassador Shandor arrives in Budapest and presents his credentials to Novák.

On 8 August, the president of Hungary gave her consent to the appointment of a new Ukrainian ambassador.

Kyiv had sent a request for an agrément [agreement by a state to receive members of a diplomatic mission from a foreign country] for Fedir Shandor to Budapest several months ago, but the Hungarian side has only approved it now. 

Media reports suggested that the reason was supposedly the unwillingness of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to communicate with the Hungarian president. It is not clear what exactly explains Katalin Novák's decision to grant the agrément now.

Fedir Shandor's name became known after he volunteered for the Ukrainian army after Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022 and continued to hold lectures for his students from the trenches in between battles.

In July 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Liubov Nepop from her post as Ukraine's ambassador to Hungary.

Earlier it was reported that the Hungarian president plans to visit Kyiv on 23 August to take part in the Crimean Platform summit, and before that, she will visit Zakarpattia and meet with representatives of the Hungarian minority.