Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has publicly dismissed concerns following the leak of audio recordings detailing his conversations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Instead of apologizing, the Hungarian diplomat used the opportunity to reiterate his harsh criticism of the European Union's sanctions against Moscow.
On March 31, media outlets released audio intercepts shedding light on the ongoing communications between Budapest and Moscow. The leaks emerged amidst a growing scandal surrounding allegations that Hungary has been transferring sensitive, closed-door EU discussions directly to the Kremlin.
One notable segment of the leaked recordings revealed Szijjártó actively lobbying for the removal of EU sanctions against Gulbakhor Ismailova, the sister of prominent Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov.
Reacting swiftly via his official Facebook page, Szijjártó claimed he had been aware for some time that foreign intelligence agencies—allegedly collaborating with Hungarian journalists—were wiretapping his phone.
"Today, the 'intelligence officers' made another 'important discovery': they proved that I say the same thing in public as I do on the phone... Great job!" the minister wrote mockingly.
He further defended his diplomatic engagements, asserting that he regularly consults with various non-EU foreign ministers regarding sanctions. Szijjártó doubled down on his government's stance, calling the EU sanctions policy a failure that "causes more harm to the EU than to Russia."
"We have made it clear countless times that we will never allow the introduction of sanctions against individuals or companies that are important for Hungary's energy security or for achieving peace, as well as against those for whom there is simply no basis or justification for inclusion in the sanctions list. And we will continue to insist on this," he emphasized.
The recent leaks corroborate earlier reports by The Washington Post, which indicated that Szijjártó regularly provided Lavrov with "live reports" and updates on potential decisions discussed during confidential EU meetings. Szijjártó had previously acknowledged these calls, arguing that EU resolutions on energy, security, and the automotive sector directly impact Hungary's external partnerships.
As a result of these ongoing security concerns and fears of information being funneled to Russia, recent media reports suggest that the European Union has begun actively excluding Hungary from highly sensitive diplomatic and security negotiations.
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