Russia vows retaliation following Hungarian expulsion of diplomats

Russia has confirmed it will respond to Hungary's decision to expel ten Russian diplomats. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Moscow is “one hundred percent” certain a response will occur, though the specific nature of the measures is currently being determined through inter-departmental consultations.

The diplomatic friction follows an announcement by Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán on September 8, which stated that ten Russian representatives were engaged in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention. While the Hungarian government expressed a desire to maintain dialogue based on mutual respect, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned that these “unfriendly steps” could negatively impact bilateral relations.

Potential retaliatory measures being discussed include the expulsion of further diplomatic personnel or the restriction or closure of Hungarian diplomatic missions, such as the consulate in Yekaterinburg. This escalation occurs amid a shift in Hungarian leadership, with Prime Minister Péter Magyar emphasizing the importance of energy cooperation while maintaining a more pro-European stance than his predecessor.