Russia expels Hungarian diplomats in tit-for-tat move

Russia ‌will expel ​an unspecified number of Hungarian diplomats in a retaliatory move, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on ‌Thursday, after Budapest last monthexpelled 10 Russian diplomats.

"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," the ministry said. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry said in a statement it acknowledged Russia's decision, adding: "Hungary is not interested in an escalation of ⁠diplomatic ​tension."

Hungary had accused ⁠the Russian diplomats it expelled of acting in ways incompatible with their status — wording ⁠often used as code for spying. The move was a clear signal that ​the pro-Russian era of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban is over. Orban, ⁠who lost power in April after 16 years in office, had kept close ties ⁠with ​Russian President Vladimir Putin even after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, continuing to buy Russian oil and gas despite European Union sanctions.

New ⁠Prime Minister Peter Magyar and his centre-right government have repeatedly said that Hungary's ⁠main alliances are ⁠the European Union and NATO and that the government aims to rebuild trust eroded under Orban's rule.