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Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in 2023 to brief him on a debate among EU leaders over whether to open accession talks with Ukraine at a key summit in Brussels, according to one of the transcripts of leaked recordings published by several Hungarian investigative news outlets.
The transcript, stemming from a call recorded at an EU summit on 14 December 2023, reveals that Szijjártó stepped out of the meeting to call Lavrov and brief him on the state of negotiations. It also includes Lavrov reportedly saying: “Sometimes good-willed direct blackmailing is the best option.”
The transcripts and audio recordings — obtained by media outlets VSquare, Frontstory, Delfi Estonia, The Insider and the Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak — come days before Hungary’s pivotal general election on Sunday.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule faces its strongest challenge yet from opposition leader Péter Magyar, whose Tisza Party currently tops the polls.
This contest has also placed Hungary’s close ties to Russia squarely at the centre of the campaign, fuelling tensions within the European Union.
The Washington Post had previously reported that Szijjártó had called Russian officials during breaks in Foreign Affairs Council meetings in Brussels. The minister later said such contacts were routine diplomatic practice, conducted before and after council sessions.
After the 2023 call between Szijjártó’s and Lavrov, Orbán dropped his veto and left for a coffee break, allowing the other 26 EU leaders to agree on opening membership talks with Ukraine. Szijjártó remained in the room, following the negotiations even after Orbán departed.
The new leaks also include another transcript, dated 2 July 2024 — during Hungary’s rotating presidency of the EU Council — which captures Szijjártó calling Lavrov again to arrange a meeting between Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
At the time, Orbán was on a self-styled peace mission, having already met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He faced strong criticism in Brussels for using the EU presidency to advance a unilateral foreign policy.
During the call, Szijjártó also appeared to emphasise the diplomatic clout of Orbán’s visit. “We cannot divide the two, but I think it increases the significance that he is the Chair of the European Union,” he said, according to the transcript.
In addition, the leaked recordings reveal a passage in which Szijjártó offered to share an EU document relating to Ukraine’s accession negotiations.
After Lavrov sought the exact text of a compromise on language rights for Ukraine’s national minorities — confirmed by Szijjártó as decisive — the minister offered to send it directly.
“I will send it to you. It’s not a problem,” Szijjártó told Lavrov. “I immediately do it. I send it to my embassy in Moscow, and my ambassador will forward it to your chief of staff, and then it’s at your disposal.”
Szijjártó responded to the revelations on social media, calling the release of the recordings “an unusually crude and open secret service intervention.”
He added that the calls showed Hungary stands for peace, advocates for Hungarians in Ukraine, fights for affordable Russian oil and gas, and views certain actions by Brussels as “very dangerous and a complete tragedy.”
Opposition leader Péter Magyar had previously characterised Szijjártó’s alleged conduct as treasonous. “This is an open betrayal of Hungarian and European interests,” Magyar said in March.
The European Commission also raised concerns in March, calling on Hungary to clarify the allegations, which it described as deeply concerning.
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