Hungary Expels Ten Russian Diplomats, Washington Denies Escalation

Tue Sep 08 2026 18:06:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ten Russian diplomats are ordered out of Budapest, prompting a warning from Moscow and marking a shift in Hungary’s stance toward Russia.

Hungary’s foreign minister announced that 10 Russian diplomats would leave the capital in a move that signals a sharp pivot away from the pro‑Kremlin policy of Viktor Orbán’s former administration. The expulsion is framed as a protection of national security and sovereignty, though the government claimed it does not mean severing diplomatic ties with Moscow. Moscow warned that the response would be “harsh and painful,” while Hungary’s new prime‑minister has pledged pragmatic relations and urged Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The decision follows allegations that a significant part of the Russian embassy staff in Budapest were linked to intelligence agencies, raising espionage concerns and putting the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia at risk.

Hungary Expels Ten Russian Diplomats

The Hungarian Foreign Ministry announced that ten Russian diplomats were ordered to leave the capital, a move that signals a sharp pivot away from Viktor Orbán’s pro‑Kremlin stance.

Foreign‑minister Anita Orbán made the decision on social media, stressing that “this protects Hungary’s security and sovereignty” but adding that the expulsion does not mean the country will sever ties with Moscow.

Moscow has warned that the response will be “harsh and painful,” while Prime‑minister Péter Magyar has pushed for “pragmatic” relations with Russia, balancing calls for an end to the war in Ukraine.

The move comes amid previous claims that up to 15 of 47 Russian embassy staff in Budapest were linked to state intelligence, raising concerns about espionage and the safety of Hungarian communities in Transcarpathia.

If the Russian embassy were to expel a comparable number of Hungarian diplomats in retaliation, the Hungarian mission in Moscow could effectively be shut down.

A building in central Budapest surrounded by a metal fence, with five people standing on the pavement and three cars parked — An AFP photo shows a Budapest monument surrounded by a metal fence following the diplomatic expulsions.

The new administration’s stance marks a significant departure from the previous pro‑Kremlin orientation and could reshape Hungary’s role in EU security dynamics.