Recent investigations reveal that Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, has been actively collaborating with Russian officials to undermine Ukraine and EU interests. This coordination reportedly involved leveraging the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine as a tactic to stall EU accession negotiations.
The findings, published by Vsquare on April 8, include audio recordings of conversations between Szijjarto and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, covering discussions from 2023 to 2025. These recordings were obtained and verified by a consortium of investigative journalists, including Vsquare, Frontstory.pl, Delfi Estonia, The Insider, and the Jan Kuciak Investigative Center.
The investigation highlights Szijjarto’s efforts to advocate for the removal of sanctions against the sister of Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, as well as his coordination with Russian Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin regarding various Russian companies and banks facing EU sanctions.
According to the report, Szijjarto’s role extended beyond simply sharing sensitive discussions within the EU. He provided Lavrov with insights into how the Western coalition was preparing to intensify pressure on Russia to end its aggression against Ukraine.
“Hungary has consistently offered Russia a role akin to a fifth column in Brussels,” the report states, emphasizing Szijjarto’s eagerness to seek Lavrov’s advice on actions detrimental to the EU and Ukraine but beneficial to Moscow.
One notable conversation took place on December 14, 2023, during a European Council summit where leaders were set to decide on opening negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened to veto decisions, using the matter as leverage against Brussels regarding over €22 billion in funds frozen due to rule-of-law violations in Hungary.
During this summit, Szijjarto contacted Lavrov to discuss the negotiations and Hungary’s strategy. Lavrov responded positively, suggesting that sometimes friendly direct pressure is the best approach. However, Orban’s absence from the final decision-making process rendered the pressure ineffective.
On July 2, 2024, following a visit to Kyiv by Orban, Szijjarto immediately informed Lavrov about the discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the organization of Orban’s trip to Moscow. This conversation occurred just before a NATO summit in Washington, where Western support for Ukraine was a key agenda item.
Investigators noted that the details of Orban’s planned visit to Putin were kept secret from both the EU and NATO. Szijjarto assured that Orban would attend as the leader of the EU presidency, despite lacking a mandate from the EU for such a visit.
European officials described this secrecy as a deliberate maneuver to avoid resistance from allies that could block the meeting. One official characterized it as a blatant violation of diplomatic norms among partners.
In another conversation, Lavrov inquired about a document outlining EU demands regarding minority language rights in Ukraine, which Szijjarto agreed to send via the Hungarian ambassador in Moscow. The exact nature of the document remains unclear, but a senior EU official expressed confidence that it pertained to the framework for negotiations already in the public domain.
Discussions between Szijjarto and Lavrov on June 17 focused on advancing the case for the rights of the Russian minority in Ukraine. Szijjarto indicated Hungary’s use of minority rights as leverage against Ukraine, while Lavrov suggested how this could be framed in terms of protecting Russian-speaking rights to hinder Ukraine’s Euro-integration.
Szijjarto also mentioned coordinating with his Slovak counterpart, Juraj Blanar, regarding efforts to block the 18th package of EU sanctions in June 2025, citing concerns over parallel EU plans to halt Russian energy supplies.
In a conversation on August 16, 2025, Lavrov praised Hungary’s friendly stance towards Russia, which was primarily focused on a meeting between Putin and Trump in Anchorage, Alaska. Szijjarto sought details about the summit, which raised significant concerns in Europe regarding the discussions on the war in Ukraine occurring without EU and NATO oversight.
Previously, The Washington Post reported that the Hungarian government had been providing Russia with vital insights into sensitive EU discussions for years. Szijjarto frequently contacted Lavrov during breaks in EU Council meetings to update him on discussions and potential decisions.
The European Commission has requested clarifications from the Hungarian government regarding the possible transfer of confidential information to Russian authorities from EU Council meetings. However, they did not confirm media reports suggesting that the EU had restricted Budapest’s access to such data.
Szijjarto confirmed his regular communication with Lavrov during closed EU foreign policy meetings.
Investigations reveal that Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto coordinated with Russia to undermine EU interests, leveraging minority rights in Ukraine as a tactic. Audio recordings of his discussions with Russian officials highlight his role in influencing EU sanctions and negotiations.
Source: Vsquare