Russia orders Hungarian diplomats to leave in retaliation for Budapest expulsions

Retaliatory orders in Moscow

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on 1 October 2026 that an unspecified number of Hungarian diplomats must leave the country within two weeks. Russian officials summoned Hungary's Chargé d'Affaires Gábor Gergics in Moscow to deliver what the ministry described as a strong protest against Budapest's earlier actions. The expulsion order affects personnel stationed at the Hungarian Embassy in Moscow as well as staff at the Consulates General in Saint Petersburg and Kazan. Moscow characterised the measure as a direct response to Budapest ordering Russian diplomats to depart in September, labelling Hungary's previous move unfounded and openly hostile.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued an official statement outlining the two-week departure deadline for the affected staff:

As a reciprocal measure, a group of staff members from the Hungarian Embassy in Moscow and the Hungarian Consulates General in St Petersburg and Kazan must leave the territory of the Russian Federation within two weeks.

Budapest expulsions and security grounds

The confrontation began on 8 September 2026, when Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats from Budapest. Prior to that decision, the Russian diplomatic mission in the Hungarian capital comprised 47 accredited diplomats. Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán stated that the expelled Russian personnel had engaged in activities incompatible with their status under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. While Budapest did not publicly disclose operational details of the allegations, diplomatic conventions treat that designation as a reference to espionage.

The Hungarian Foreign Ministry confirmed the receipt of Moscow's retaliatory measures while maintaining that its diplomatic missions in Russia will continue functioning:

Hungary is not interested in an escalation of diplomatic tensions. But we stand by our decision, taken for national security reasons. Our missions continue to operate fully, and Hungary will maintain its diplomatic presence in Russia.

Foreign policy pivot under Péter Magyar

The diplomatic clash follows a broader realignment of Hungarian foreign policy under Prime Minister Péter Magyar, whose centre-right government took office following elections in April 2026. Magyar's administration ended the 16-year premiership of Viktor Orbán, who maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and continued purchasing Russian oil and gas after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In late August 2026, instructions issued by the new government to its delegation at the United Nations General Assembly formally designated Russia as a threat to Hungary and the global order. The government reaffirmed its backing for Ukrainian sovereignty and self-defence, while also seeking to rebuild institutional trust with the European Union and NATO.

Strains across diplomatic channels

Russian Ambassador to Budapest Yevgeny Stanislavov previously dismissed Hungarian statements regarding open channels of dialogue, calling assertions of pragmatic cooperation worthless and describing the initial expulsions as an unjustified escalation. Despite the ongoing disputes with Moscow and improved ties with Kyiv, Budapest continues to withhold approval on opening new European Union accession negotiation clusters for Ukraine, seeking concessions regarding minority rights. Hungarian officials stated that diplomatic ties with Moscow will remain active despite the reciprocal expulsions. The Russian government did not specify the exact total of Hungarian diplomats required to leave by mid-October 2026.