Hungarian FM Admits Regular Talks with Russian Counterpart

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó admitted to regular communications with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov around European Union meetings, following reports that he shared confidential details from those sessions with Moscow. The revelations, emerging in late March 2026, have intensified tensions ahead of Hungary's parliamentary elections on April 12, with opposition leaders accusing Szijjártó of treason and the government launching a probe into alleged wiretapping.

The controversy began with accounts from unidentified European security officials claiming Szijjártó routinely briefed Lavrov on discussions during EU foreign ministers' gatherings. Szijjártó initially rejected the reports as fabricated but later confirmed in a video statement that he consults with officials from non-EU nations, including Russia, the United States, Turkey, and Israel, before or after such meetings. "These issues must be discussed with our partners outside the European Union," he said, emphasizing that diplomacy requires dialogue and that no sensitive secrets are exchanged at the ministerial level.

A leaked audio recording, released on March 23, 2026, further fueled the dispute. It...