Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó confirmed he regularly contacts Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov 'before and after' European Council summits following reports alleging routine communication during breaks in Brussels meetings. Szijjártó said talking to other partners is the essence of diplomacy.
Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has acknowledged that he regularly contacts his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, during private EU meetings on foreign affairs.
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Earlier, the Hungarian government had dismissed those allegations as fake news.
The Washington Post reported over the weekend that Szijjártó was routinely in contact with Lavrov during meetings in Brussels, even communicating with him during breaks.
In comments to Euronews on Tuesday, the Hungarian foreign ministry said it considers it “completely normal” and “standard practice” to debrief others as decisions taken at the European level affect its relation with third countries, including Russia.
Russia is heavily sanctioned by the EU for its invasion of Ukraine and most member states have cut ties with Moscow.
The allegations are explosive as EU countries are bound by the principle of sincere cooperation, and the content of such meetings is understood to be confidential.
The European Commission has called on Hungary to clarify the matter, describing the reports as "concerning."
Szijjártó, speaking at a campaign event in Keszthely on Monday evening, confirmed the calls.
He justified them by saying that EU decisions on energy, the auto industry and security directly affect Hungary's relationships with “partners” outside the bloc.
Hungary is one of the few EU countries that still maintains business ties with Moscow.
"Yes, these issues must be discussed with our partners outside the European Union. I talk not only to the Russian Foreign Minister, but also to our American, Turkish, Israeli, Serbian and others before and after European Union Council meetings," Szijjártó said.
"What I say may sound harsh, but diplomacy is about talking to the leaders of other countries," he added.
The minister also uploaded a social media video on Tuesday morning in which he rejected claims that he had breached any security protocols at Foreign Affairs Council meetings. He added that no secrets are discussed at the ministerial level.
"Every minister brings their phone into the room except me. The suggestion that there are any security protocols falls into the category of stupidity," the minister said.
The revelations come as political tensions mount ahead of Hungary's parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party faces a stiff challenge from opposition leader Péter Magyar's Tisza Party, which is currently ahead in opinion polls.
Orbán's government is one of the few in Europe to maintain regular ties with the Kremlin. Hungary also continues to import large volumes of fossil fuels from Russia, despite EU pressure to reduce energy dependency on Moscow.
Szijjártó has visited Moscow 16 times since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His most recent trip took place on 4 March, when he met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
An earlier version of this story has been corrected to say 'before and after' European Council summits instead of 'during' European Council summits in headline.