A New Chapter in Budapest-Moscow Relations Is Being Written Through Diplomatic Expulsions

Diplomacy often changes direction before the language surrounding it does. That appears to be the case in relations between Russia and Hungary, where a long period of close political ties has given way to reciprocal diplomatic expulsions. On October 1, Moscow ordered an unspecified number of Hungarian diplomatic staff to leave Russia, following Budapest's expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats in September.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said staff members from Hungary's embassy in Moscow and its consulates in St. Petersburg and Kazan would have to leave within two weeks. The decision was described as a reciprocal response to Hungary's earlier action.

Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats on September 8, saying they had engaged in activities considered incompatible with diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention. Hungarian officials did not publicly provide detailed information about the alleged activities. Russia subsequently said it would respond.

The latest exchange comes after a major political transition in Hungary. Péter Magyar became prime minister after Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party lost the April 2026 election. Orbán had governed Hungary for 16 years and maintained comparatively close relations with Moscow, including continued Russian energy purchases after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The new government has described Hungary's relationship with the European Union and NATO as central to its foreign policy. Reuters reported that Magyar's government has sought to rebuild trust with those partners while also maintaining that relations with Russia should not be unnecessarily severed. That combination suggests a shift in emphasis rather than an immediate disappearance of every channel between Budapest and Moscow.

Hungary's September decision was therefore significant not simply because diplomats were expelled, but because it represented a departure from the previous government's approach. Under Orbán, Budapest frequently resisted or delayed some EU measures directed at Russia and maintained energy ties with Moscow. The current government has adopted a more security-focused position toward Russian activity.

At the same time, Budapest has not announced a complete break with Moscow. Hungary's Foreign Ministry said after the latest Russian decision that it was not interested in escalating diplomatic tensions and that Hungarian diplomatic missions in Russia would continue operating. That statement places the expulsions within a narrower dispute over diplomatic conduct rather than an announcement of severed relations.

The reciprocal measures nevertheless provide a visible marker of changing relations. The number of Hungarian diplomats affected by Russia's decision was not specified, while Hungary had previously ordered 10 Russian diplomats to leave. The two governments now face the task of preserving necessary diplomatic channels while managing a relationship that has become more difficult under Hungary's new political leadership.

AI Image Disclaimer: This image is AI-generated for editorial illustration and does not depict the actual diplomatic expulsions.

Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; Euronews