Hungary accused of leaking EU secrets to Moscow

Péter Szijjártó

Hungary’s foreign minister has been accused of secretly briefing Moscow on confidential European Union discussions for years — a claim that has ignited a political storm just weeks before the country heads to the polls.

An investigation by the Washington Post alleges that Péter Szijjártó repeatedly relayed sensitive information from EU meetings directly to Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov. The reports have deepened fears within Europe that Moscow may have had a window into high-level decision-making inside the bloc.

‘Moscow Behind the Table’ at EU Meetings

According to the report, Szijjártó would call Lavrov during breaks in EU gatherings to brief him on discussions among European leaders and signal possible responses from Brussels.

A European security official cited by the newspaper claimed the practice had been routine for years. “Every single EU meeting has basically had Moscow behind the table,” the source reportedly said.

If confirmed, the allegations would represent one of the most serious breaches of trust within the European Union in recent years.

Polish Leaders Voice Long-Held Suspicions

The claims quickly triggered reactions from senior European politicians, including Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland.

“The news that Orbán’s people inform Moscow about EU Council meetings in every detail shouldn’t come as a surprise,” Tusk wrote on social media. He said Warsaw had long suspected leaks from Budapest.

Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, responded bluntly online: “This would explain a lot, Peter.”

Election Battle Raises Stakes

The controversy lands in the middle of a fierce election campaign in Hungary ahead of parliamentary polls scheduled for 12 April.

Opinion surveys suggest the opposition Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, is currently ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party.

The Washington Post also reported claims that Russian intelligence allegedly considered staging a fake assassination attempt against Orbán in an operation dubbed “Gamechanger” to strengthen his electoral prospects.

Budapest Rejects ‘Fake News’ Claims

Szijjártó has fiercely denied the allegations, accusing critics of spreading disinformation to influence Hungary’s election.

“Fake news as always,” he wrote on social media, claiming the reports were designed to help the opposition install what he called a “pro-war puppet government”.

With trust inside the EU already strained over Budapest’s ties with Moscow, the accusations risk pushing relations between Hungary and its European partners to a new breaking point.

Hungarian minister shared EU confidential information with Russia for years, report claims