Hungary has ordered 10 Russian diplomats to leave the country over activities deemed unacceptable under the Vienna Convention, signaling a major foreign policy shift under new Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The move breaks with the pro-Kremlin legacy of former leader Viktor Orban, who blocked EU sanctions and maintained close ties with Vladimir Putin. While Foreign Minister Anita Orban stressed that Budapest is not severing diplomatic ties, Moscow has threatened a harsh and painful retaliation.
Expulsion of Russian diplomats
- ▪Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban clarified that the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats does not mean Hungary is breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia.
- ▪Prior to the September 8, 2026 expulsions, Hungary had not publicly expelled any Russian diplomats since 2018, remaining an outlier in Europe after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
- ▪Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban stated that the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats on September 8, 2026, was intended to protect Hungary's security and sovereignty.
- ▪Hungary ordered 10 Russian diplomats to leave the country on September 8, 2026, accusing them of activities incompatible with their diplomatic status.
Viktor Orbán pro-Russia legacy
- ▪Under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Hungary blocked a €90 billion ($97 billion) European Union loan to Ukraine.
- ▪Former Hungarian foreign intelligence deputy head Andras Telkes stated that the previous Fidesz government under Viktor Orban had prevented action against investigated Russian spying activities.
- ▪Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, pursued Russian energy deals, and repeatedly delayed or blocked European Union sanctions against Russia.
Vienna Convention violations
- ▪An investigation by the independent Russian website Agentsvo reported ahead of the April 2026 elections that 15 of the 47 Russian embassy staff in Budapest were linked to Russian intelligence agencies.
- ▪Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban stated that the 10 expelled Russian diplomats had engaged in activities unacceptable under the Vienna Convention.
Russian retaliation threats
- ▪Russia's Ambassador to Budapest, Evgeny Stanislavov, called the expulsions an unprecedented and unjustified escalation and dismissed Hungary's claims of wanting to maintain dialogue.
- ▪Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova threatened that Moscow's response to the expulsions would be harsh and painful.
Peter Magyar government reforms
- ▪Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban summoned the Russian ambassador in May 2026 to protest a Russian drone attack on Ukraine's Transcarpathia region, which has a large Hungarian minority.
- ▪In August 2026, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar's government issued new guidelines stating that Russia's conduct in Ukraine poses a threat to Hungary, Europe, and the global order.
- ▪Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who was sworn in after winning the April 2026 elections, pledged to tackle corruption, rebuild trust with the European Union and NATO, and pivot away from the previous pro-Moscow stance.
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