The Hungarian government has expelled ten Russian diplomats from the country, Foreign Minister Anita Orbán said on social media on Tuesday.
The ministry has informed the Russian ambassador to Hungary that according to Hungarian authorities, the diplomats' activities had been unacceptable under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the minister said. Hungary has therefore called on them to leave the country, she added.
"The decision is protecting Hungary's security and sovereignty, and does not mean that diplomatic ties between the two countries have been severed," she said. "Hungary wishes to maintain the necessary dialogue while preserving mutual respect and keeping to regulations," she stated.
Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry's spokesperson, said the response to the expulsion would be "tough and painful for the Russophobe lobby in Budapest". Asked when the response was to be expected, she said "you will know" in time.
András Rácz, the deputy head of the Hungarian Foreign Affairs Institute, said the foreign minister's diplomatically worded announcement suggested that the Russian diplomats were actually secret agents.
In an interview with MTI, András Rácz said the phrasing "activities incompatible with a diplomat's status" traditionally meant intelligence activities.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, countries of the European Union have expelled over 600 Russian agents working under cover of diplomatic positions, the expert pointed out. "In that sense … Hungary in fact joins its EU allies in their efforts to reduce the Russian Federations secret service capacities in EU and NATO countries," he added.
Top 5 Articles
What Awaits the Hungarian Economy in 2026 and 2027? April 24, 2026 - Consolidating the Good Bilateral Relations May 10, 2026
- Two Vantage Points, One Direction August 22, 2026
- Business, Consumer Confidence at Two-Year High in April April 23, 2026
- Building Bridges in a Changing World March 26, 2026
