EU calls for clarification after Hungary accused of leaking info to Russia 

The European Commission has called for clarity from Hungary after a United States media outlet reported that the country’s foreign minister passed on information about negotiations with the European Union to Russia.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto had regularly called his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, during breaks in EU meetings to provide “direct reports on what was discussed” and possible next steps.

Szijjarto has rejected the report as “fake news” and “senseless conspiracy theories”.

European Commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said on Monday that a “relationship of trust between member states, and between them and the institution, is fundamental for the work of the EU.”

“We expect the Hungarian government to provide the clarifications,” Hipper added.

The allegations come at a tense moment in relations between Budapest and the EU. Many officials in Brussels remain furious that Hungary continued to block a loan of 90 billion euros ($104bn) to Ukraine at an EU leaders’ gathering last week.

Germany called the allegations against Hungary “very serious”.

“Discussions within the EU, including among EU foreign ministers, are confidential,” a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

“We will not tolerate any violation of them,” he added.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a post on X on Sunday that the Washington Post report “shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone”.

“That’s one reason why I take the floor only when strictly necessary and say just as much as necessary,” he added.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is one of the few EU leaders to maintain close ties with Moscow amid Russia’s war on Ukraine.

He ordered an investigation on Monday into what he called the wiretapping of his foreign minister.

“There is evidence that Hungary’s foreign minister was wiretapped, and we also have indications of who may be behind it. This must be investigated immediately,” he said, without elaborating.

Orban, who has been in power since 2010, is facing his toughest re-election bid on April 12, as the centre-right opposition Tisza Party leads most polls.