“It is an honour, a responsibility, and a matter of life for me.”
Edited by Anna Popper
H.E. Shandor Fedir, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Hungary, officially assumed office on 6 March 2025, after presenting his credentials to the President of the Republic, Tamás Sulyok, in Budapest.
A professor at the Uzhhorod National University, Ambassador Fedir has also served as a soldier in Ukraine’s 101st Transcarpathian Brigade since the beginning of the Russian invasion, defending his homeland. In February 2023, a striking photo of him captured international attention: he was seen giving lectures from the trenches in eastern Ukraine – weapon in hand – during breaks between battles.
Beyond academia and military service, Ambassador Fedir is a recognized expert in tourism, sociology, and urban and regional development. His appointment as ambassador was long awaited, and after an extended process, he finally arrived in Budapest on 25 February 2025. Reflecting on the significance of this date, he remarked: “Exactly three years ago, I stood in line at the military conscription office in Uzhhorod to join the army and march east to defend Ukraine with arms against our historic enemy – the Kremlin regime. This morning, I head west to Budapest to defend Ukraine’s interests in Hungary and foster good-neighbourly relations in Central Europe – not in a pixelated uniform, but as an ambassador.” He expressed his deep gratitude to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha for their trust, emphasizing: “It is an honour, a responsibility, and a matter of life for me.”
Ambassador Fedir’s appointment fills a diplomatic void that lasted more than two years. Since the departure of H.E. Ambassador Liubov Nepop in July 2022, following her six years of diplomatic service, Ukraine was represented in Hungary only by a Chargé d’Affaires.
After officially presenting his credentials at Sándor Palace, Ambassador Fedir paid tribute to Hungary’s national heritage by visiting Heroes’ Square, where he laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. This gesture, in accordance with diplomatic protocol, honoured the sacrifices of Hungarian soldiers and reflected Ukraine’s respect for Hungary’s history and traditions.
Ambassador Fedir was one of several diplomats who presented their credentials to President Sulyok during an official ceremony. The other newly appointed ambassadors included:
- H.E. Mihail Barbulat (Republic of Moldova)
- H.E. Maurice Odhiambo (Republic of Kenya)
- H.E. Mohammed Sameer Hindawi (Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan)
- H.E. Andrew Rive Williams (New Zealand)
- H.E. Camila Malvina Márquez Araujo (Republic of Chile)
President Sulyok conveyed his best wishes to the diplomats, expressing his hope for the continued strengthening of bilateral relations between Hungary and their respective nations.
Source: Embassy of Ukraine in Budapest
Photos from the Facebook of Embassy of Ukraine in Budapest
Honouring Taras Shevchenko: A Tribute to the Legacy of Ukraine’s National Poet in Budapest
On Sunday, 9 March 2025, marking the 211th birthday of Ukrainian writer and artist Taras Shevchenko (1814–1861), the Embassy of Ukraine in Hungary, led by H.E. Shandor Fedir, Ambassador of Ukraine to Hungary, participated in a commemorative event organized by the Ukrainian Self-Government in Hungary and Ukrainian National Minority Parliamentary Spokesperson, Liliána Grexa.
“For Hungarians, Sándor Petőfi is what Taras Shevchenko is for Ukrainians – both are national symbols who expressed the desire for freedom and democratic aspirations.”
As a tribute to Shevchenko and in appreciation of Hungary, Ambassador Fedir and Mr. Gergely Őrsi, Mayor of Budapest’s 2nd District, planted a cornel tree and two viburnum trees near the Taras Shevchenko monument on Fő street in Buda, which was inaugurated in 2007 by the Presidents of Hungary and Ukraine. The great Kobzar often used the viburnum as a deep poetic symbol of Ukraine’s historical fate, embodying its sorrows and aspirations for liberation. The cornel tree, an ancient Hungarian symbol, represents shared values for both Hungary and Ukraine, symbolizing health, resilience and prosperity.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Mayor Előd Bendegúz Varga, Ukrainian MP Julija Hrisina,Liliána Grexa, Yevheniia Jedlytska, President of the National Self-Government of Ukrainians in Hungary; Viktoria Petrovska, President of the Metropolitan Ukrainian Self-Government in Hungary; and Alexandra Kormányos, President of the Ukrainian Self-Government of Budapest’s 2nd District, as well as other Ukrainian dignitaries from Budapest. Special guests included Ukrainian writer and translator Andrij Ljubka and children’s book author Halina Malik. Following the wreath-laying ceremony, performances by clergy, musicians, and students from Ukrainian educational institutions in Budapest were held.
Taras Shevchenko remains a timeless voice of the Ukrainian soul, echoing across generations. May his legacy inspire strength, unity, and the pursuit of peace.
Source: Embassy of Ukraine in Budapest
Photos from the Facebook of Embassy of Ukraine in Budapest
