Hungary has ordered 10 Russian diplomats to leave Budapest, citing "unacceptable" activities that the government stated were detrimental to Hungary's security and sovereignty. The announcement by Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán marks a significant shift for a country that had been considered Russia's closest ally within the European Union for years.
The decision does not signify a complete rupture of diplomatic relations, according to Orbán. However, Moscow responded with a stern warning, with a foreign ministry spokeswoman stating that the "response to the Russophobic lobby will be harsh and painful."
Since the election of Prime Minister Péter Magyar's Tisza party in April, Hungary has begun to pivot away from its predecessor's pro-Kremlin policies. Both Magyar and Orbán have publicly called on Russia to cease its war in Ukraine. Previously, under the previous administration, Hungary had been viewed as largely aligned with Moscow's interests.
This expulsion follows a series of actions indicating a change in Hungary's foreign policy. In May, Orbán summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a drone attack on the Transcarpathia region of Ukraine, an area with a significant Hungarian minority. This contrasted with the prior government's approach, where the ambassador had not been summoned since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Last month, Magyar formally broke with prior government policies, establishing new guidelines that explicitly state Russia's actions in Ukraine pose a threat to Hungary, Europe, and the global order, also endangering the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. The Russian Ambassador to Budapest, Evgeny Stanislavov, reacted negatively to Orbán's stated intention to continue dialogue based on mutual respect and adherence to rules.