The Russia Hungary diplomatic row has intensified after Moscow ordered Hungarian diplomatic staff to leave Russia within two weeks. The move came in retaliation for Hungary’s expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats earlier in September, creating a fresh dispute between the two countries at a time when wider tensions between Russia and NATO are also rising.
Moscow Announces Retaliatory Expulsion
Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Hungary’s chargé d’affaires on Thursday and announced that a group of Hungarian diplomatic staff from the embassy in Moscow and consulates in St Petersburg and Kazan would have to leave the country.
Moscow described Hungary’s earlier decision to expel 10 Russian diplomats as “groundless” and openly unfriendly. The Russian government had previously indicated that it would respond to Budapest’s action.
Hungary confirmed the Russian decision but said it did not want the situation to develop into a broader escalation. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry has maintained that diplomatic channels should remain open despite the worsening disagreement.
The latest development represents a reciprocal diplomatic action, with each side now having expelled personnel belonging to the other country.
Why Hungary Expelled Russian Diplomats
Hungary announced the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats on September 8, saying they had engaged in activities considered incompatible with their diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention.
The decision marked a notable change in Budapest’s approach to Moscow. According to Reuters, Hungary had previously maintained close relations with Russia under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban and had not publicly expelled Russian diplomats since 2018.
Hungarian officials stressed that the move did not amount to a decision to break diplomatic relations with Russia. Budapest said it remained interested in maintaining necessary dialogue.
Moscow, however, strongly criticized the decision and said it would receive an appropriate response.
Russia Says It Still Wants Relations
Despite the Russia Hungary diplomatic row, Moscow has also indicated that it does not want to completely abandon its relationship with Budapest.
Earlier in September, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Hungary’s decision had negatively affected bilateral relations but added that Russia remained interested in developing ties with Hungary. He also referred to the value of the existing history and experience of Russian-Hungarian relations.
That position suggests that the diplomatic expulsions, while significant, have not resulted in a formal break in relations.
Hungary has likewise said that it is not interested in further escalation, leaving open the possibility of continued diplomatic engagement despite the dispute.
Wider Tensions Surround Kaliningrad
The Russia Hungary diplomatic row is unfolding against a much broader deterioration in relations between Russia and Western countries.
On September 30, Russia issued a warning to NATO concerning Kaliningrad, the heavily militarized Russian exclave located between NATO members Poland and Lithuania.
In a diplomatic document seen by Reuters, Moscow said it would be prepared to use its available military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, if NATO countries attempted to isolate Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia. Russia also warned that such actions could create a direct armed conflict.
Kaliningrad is strategically important because of its location on the Baltic Sea and its military infrastructure. At the same time, its position between Poland and Lithuania makes it geographically separate from mainland Russia.
NATO Rejects Russian Threats
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte responded by describing the alliance as defensive and calling on Russia to stop making nuclear threats.
NATO also said its activities and exercises do not pose a threat to Russian territory. The alliance urged Moscow to avoid what it called increasingly reckless behavior and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric.
Rutte separately said NATO did not see an imminent threat to its territory from Russia. He noted that any Russian military action against a NATO country would be expected to involve visible military preparations.
A Diplomatic Dispute Amid Rising Pressure
The Russia Hungary diplomatic row therefore comes at a sensitive moment for European security. While the dispute itself involves diplomatic expulsions, it is taking place alongside disagreements over Russia’s relations with NATO and the security situation around the Baltic region.
For Hungary, the decision to expel Russian diplomats and the subsequent Russian retaliation represent a significant diplomatic development. For Moscow, the response demonstrates that it intends to answer actions it considers unfriendly.
At the same time, both governments have indicated that they do not necessarily want the dispute to result in a complete breakdown of relations.
The coming weeks will show whether the Russia Hungary diplomatic row remains limited to reciprocal diplomatic measures or develops into a wider disagreement. For now, both sides have exchanged expulsions while continuing to leave room for diplomatic communication.
The dispute also illustrates how bilateral relations in Europe are increasingly being shaped by the broader confrontation between Russia and Western countries, particularly as tensions around Ukraine, NATO and the Baltic region remain unresolved.
