Updated

Hungary's foreign minister says Ukraine has "stabbed Hungary in the back" with a new education law which "drastically" limits the rights of ethnic minorities to study in their mother tongue.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Monday that he was appealing to the United Nations, the European Union and other international bodies to inform them of the situation and to try to prevent the law from taking effect. There are about 150,000 ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine.

Szijjarto said the law approved by Ukraine's parliament last week is "shameful and disgraceful" and makes it "practically impossible" for ethnic minorities to study in their own language beyond fourth grade.

Poland and Romania, which have sizable minorities in Ukraine, have also expressed concerns or caution about the legislation.