A nemzeti kisebbségi kérdés mint külpolitikai és európai integrációs eszköz Szlovákia és Magyarország Ukrajna-politikájában a háború idején
The National Minority Issue as a Tool in Foreign Policy and European Integration: Slovakia’s and Hungary’s Policies towards Ukraine during Wartime

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the strategic importance of national minority issues in the foreign policies of Slovakia and Hungary during Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, focusing specifically on the implications for European integration and regional security. Although both countries share geographical proximity and historical ties with minorities in Ukraine, their approaches diverge sharply. Slovakia primarily treats the Slovak minority in Transcarpathia as a peripheral, symbolic concern, embedding minority issues within a broader, integration-oriented strategy that prioritizes regional stability, EU and NATO cohesion, and conflict avoidance. In Slovak diplomacy, minority rights rarely function as a bargaining tool or a significant influence on policy positions at the EU level. Conversely, Hungary actively instrumentalizes the Transcarpathian Hungarian community, linking minority rights directly to Ukraine’s EU accession and broader integration processes. This strategy positions minority protection as a leverage mechanism in bilateral and multilateral negotiations, enabling the Hungarian government to mobilize domestic political support and exert pressure on international policy outcomes, which occasionally results in the obstruction of EU-level decisions. Utilizing a qualitative methodology to analyze policy statements, institutional structures, and EU interactions, this study elucidates the complex interplay between minority rights, wartime diplomacy, and integration dynamics. By contrasting the Slovak and Hungarian models, the research demonstrates how national minority issues can serve as central instruments of foreign policy, shaping bilateral relations, influencing EU decision-making, and impacting regional geopolitical stability in wartime Central Europe. The findings highlight that minority protection carries significant strategic potential, though its diplomatic application varies greatly depending on national priorities, historical legacies, and crisis contexts.

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