Under a new government that promised to break with years of pro-Moscow policy, Hungary ordered 10 members of Russia’s diplomatic mission to leave the country on Tuesday, prompting Moscow to warn of an “appropriate response.” The move marks one of the clearest signs yet that Budapest’s foreign policy has shifted since Prime Minister Peter Magyar took office earlier this year.
Hungary’s Russian ambassador was informed that the country’s authorities had assessed the 10 personnel as having engaged in activities “unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention,” the international treaty governing diplomatic conduct. Foreign Minister Anita Orbán, who is not related to former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, did not detail the alleged activities or specify how long the expelled staff had to depart.
“This decision protects Hungary’s security and sovereignty,” Orbán said in a statement. “It does not imply breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia. Hungary intends to continue the necessary dialogue, based on mutual respect and adherence to the rules.”
Moscow reacted sharply. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the response to what she called “the Russophobic lobby in Budapest” would be “harsh and painful,” according to local media, though the ministry offered no specifics on how it would retaliate.
The expulsions represent a departure from the era of Viktor Orbán, who cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, repeatedly delayed or blocked European Union sanctions on Moscow, and pursued energy deals with the Kremlin during his tenure. His removal from power reshaped Hungary’s position within the bloc, where it had long been the most reluctant partner on measures against Russia.
That shift places Budapest closer to the mainstream EU stance on the war in Ukraine, a conflict that continues to strain relations across the continent. The change has been visible in Hungary’s diplomatic posture as European capitals recalibrate their approach to Moscow and its allies.
The timing of the expulsions coincided with defiant messaging from the Kremlin on the war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia was confident of imminent success, saying, “we are sure that victory is very near” in comments reported by Reuters.
Budapest has stressed that it wants to preserve working channels with Moscow despite the removals, framing the decision as a security measure rather than a rupture. Whether Russia’s promised retaliation targets Hungarian diplomats in a reciprocal expulsion or takes another form will determine how far the confrontation between the two governments escalates in the weeks ahead.