Russia08 September, 20262 min read
Hungary Orders 10 Russian Diplomats To Leave After Anita Orbán Calls Activities Unacceptable
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Hungary expelled ten Russian diplomats, citing activities incompatible with diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention. Foreign Minister Anita Orban said move to protect Hungary's security and sovereignty; Moscow vowed retaliation.
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10 Expelled From Budapest
Hungary ordered 10 members of Russia’s diplomatic mission to leave the country after Foreign Minister Anita Orbán said they had engaged in activities in Hungary that were unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention. Orbán wrote, "This decision protects Hungary's security and sovereignty," while also stressing that the expulsions did not imply breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia.
Russia said it planned to respond, with the Russian Foreign Ministry telling RIA Novosti it would provide "an appropriate response" to the expulsions. The move comes as Hungary’s new government under Prime Minister Péter Magyar pivots away from the pro-Russia stance associated with Viktor Orbán, who had repeatedly delayed or blocked European Union sanctions on Russia and pursued energy deals with Russia.
Russia Calls It Unfriendly
Russia’s ambassador to Budapest, Evgeny Stanislavov, rejected Hungary’s message about keeping channels of dialogue open, saying the statements were "worth absolutely nothing." Stanislavov added that the expulsions were an "unprecedented and unjustified escalation" and said it would receive an appropriate response.
Hungarian officials framed the expulsions as a security step rather than a rupture, with Orbán writing that "It does not imply breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia." The BBC reported that Hungary was viewed as Russia’s closest ally in the European Union under Viktor Orbán for years, but since his election defeat in April the new government has pivoted away from his pro-Kremlin stance.
Hybrid Attacks and Retaliation
European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand said Hungary’s expulsion was a legitimate decision and an expected reaction to "Russia’s persistent campaign in using hybrid attacks against the EU and its member states." Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that the response to the expulsions would be "harsh and painful," as Hungary’s government signaled a tougher stance toward Moscow.
The BBC reported that Magyar and the foreign minister called on Russia to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, and that in May Anita Orbán summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a big drone attack on the Transcarpathia region of Ukraine. Reuters said the expulsions were a clear signal that the pro-Russian era of Viktor Orbán is over, noting that Hungary had expelled none of Russia’s diplomats publicly until Tuesday, and that it had not sent any home publicly since 2018.