Hungary Accuses EU of Election Interference in Russia Leaks

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has accused the European Union of orchestrating covert interference in the country's parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12, amid leaked recordings that expose close coordination between Hungarian officials and Russian counterparts. The revelations, which include Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó briefing Russia's Sergey Lavrov on sensitive EU discussions, have intensified divisions between Budapest and Brussels just days before voters head to the polls.

The leaks, published by a consortium of European investigative outlets, detail phone conversations from December 2023 and July 2024. In one call during an EU summit, Szijjártó informed Lavrov about debates over Ukraine's potential accession to the bloc, which Orban has opposed. Lavrov reportedly urged Szijjártó to veto the move, stating that "sometimes, goodwilled direct blackmailing is the best option." Another recording captures Szijjártó proposing to share confidential EU documents with Moscow and arranging a meeting between Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin. A separate transcript from a 2025 call between Orban and Putin shows the Hungarian leader pledging...