Media: EU excludes Hungary from sensitive talks over fears of Russian leaks
The European Union has restricted the flow of confidential materials to Hungary, and representatives of national governments are increasingly meeting in small groups over concerns that Budapest is passing sensitive information about the progress of cases to Russia.
This, as “European Truth” writes, Politico reports, citing EU officials and diplomats.
The Washington Post previously reported that Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó regularly provided his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov with “live reports on what was discussed” at EU meetings, as well as information on possible solutions.
EU officials and diplomats said Brussels was holding back from responding to the new allegations as parliamentary elections in Hungary approached.
Concerns about Hungary sending information to Russia have led to a rise in the number of smaller-scale meetings instead of the traditional discussions with the 27 EU members.
“In general, the less than loyal member states are the main reason why most of the relevant European diplomacy now takes place in various, smaller formats – E3, E4, E7, E8, Weimar, NB8 (the eight Nordic countries and the Baltics. – Ed.), JEF (Joint Expeditionary Force. – Ed.) etc.,” said a European official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told Politico that he was warned as early as 2024 that the Hungarian side could pass information to Russia, so he and his colleagues limited the information they shared in the presence of Szijjártó.
According to Landsbergis, before the NATO summit in Vilnius in 2023, envoys took steps to exclude the Budapest delegation from sensitive negotiations.
EU diplomats are inclined to believe that the allegations against Hungary are true.
“Hungary has long been an ally of Putin in the EU and continues to sabotage European security. The blocked 90 billion euros (in a loan for Ukraine. – Ed.) is just the latest example of this scheme,” one of the officials said.
According to one of the diplomats, in light of the new allegations, the EU may withhold even more information from Budapest.
For his part, Szijjártó rejected the content of The Washington Post article and accused the media of putting forward “conspiracy theories that are more absurd than anything before.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the fact that Hungary informed Russia about the details of the negotiations at EU meetings was not surprising.
It was also reported that, according to European intelligence, against the backdrop of a decline in the ratings of the ruling Fidesz party, Russian special services proposed staging an assassination attempt on Orbán in order to garner greater public support.
Sources:
https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2026/03/23/7233791/
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-hungary-leak-russia-peter-szijjarto/