In a landmark move signaling a sharp break from its predecessor’s pro-Moscow stance, Hungary’s newly installed government has ordered 10 members of Russia’s diplomatic mission in Budapest to leave the country, citing activities that violate international diplomatic rules. The announcement, made public by Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán on Tuesday, confirms that the Russian ambassador to Hungary was formally notified of the expulsion order.
Orbán, who is not related to Hungary’s former long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, clarified that the decision stems from a Hungarian security assessment finding the 10 Russian diplomats engaged in activity incompatible with their diplomatic status under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the binding international treaty that outlines accepted conduct for diplomatic personnel globally. She declined to provide specific details about the alleged improper activities, nor did she specify the timeline by which the expelled diplomats must exit Hungarian territory.
Crucially, the foreign minister emphasized that the expulsion is not a step toward cutting bilateral diplomatic ties between Budapest and Moscow. “This decision protects Hungary’s security and sovereignty,” Orbán said in an official written statement. “It does not imply breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia. Hungary intends to continue the necessary dialogue, based on mutual respect and adherence to the rules.”
Moscow has already signaled it will push back against the action. In remarks carried by Russia’s state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, the Russian Foreign Ministry pledged to deliver an “appropriate response” to the expulsions, though it offered no further details on what form that retaliation might take.
This diplomatic move marks the first major foreign policy shift from Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s administration, which took power earlier in 2025 on a campaign pledge to reverse the country’s long-standing pro-Russia alignment. Magyar’s predecessor, Viktor Orbán, maintained a close alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout his tenure, repeatedly working to delay or block collective European Union sanctions targeting Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and prioritizing bilateral energy trade deals with Russia.
Analysts view the expulsion as a clear indicator that Budapest is aligning more closely with broader EU policy toward Russia, a departure from years of diplomatic ambiguity and pro-Moscow advocacy under the previous Orbán administration.