In Ukraine's Zakarpattia region, home to over 100,000 ethnic Hungarians, a political dispute between Hungary and Ukraine heats up amid the war. Hungary says Ukrainian laws limit Hungarian language education beyond primary school. Kyiv defends the laws as vital for unity and resisting Russian influence. Hungary has used this issue to block Ukraine's EU accession talks, escalating tensions. Despite politics, people in Uzhhorod, the region's capital, live peacefully and mix languages. A 17-year-old Hungarian student says she easily switches between Hungarian and Ukrainian. Experts note Budapest's approach mixes minority rights with political aims during wartime. They urge Hungary to use EU tools instead of vetoes. Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban has tied the issue to domestic politics. The dispute remains a barrier to Ukraine's EU ambitions and keeps regional relations tense.