US EditionHungary foreign minister discussed EU sanctions with Russia in leaked audio
Investigators say leaked calls show Szijjártó relayed confidential EU talks to Moscow and pressed to remove sanctioned Russians and firms.
- On Tuesday, investigative outlet VSquare released audio of Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto discussing EU sanctions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with Szijjarto promising to help remove a Russian oligarch's sister from the sanctions list.
- Earlier investigations by the Washington Post and VSquare revealed that Szijjarto has for years provided "live reports on what's been discussed" at EU meetings to Lavrov, with his tone described as "deferential."
- Further materials show Szijjarto reported to Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin on efforts to repeal sanctions against Russia's shadow oil tanker fleet, while coordinating with Slovakia on removing individuals from the sanctions list.
- Szijjarto denounced the wiretapping as a "huge scandal" less than two weeks before the April 12 parliamentary election, while Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party blamed "foreign intelligence services" for the leaks.
- Hungary's Kremlin-friendly reputation within the EU faces renewed scrutiny as the country has repeatedly blocked sanctions against Moscow and aid to Kyiv, while Prime Minister Orban confronts his toughest election challenge in 16 years.
91 Articles
91 Articles
Hungarian FM says reports he passed information to Russia are 'foreign interference'
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday that reports from Eastern European media outlets that he passed "strategic information" to Russia were "foreign interference". In one leaked…
Hungarian FM slams opposition 'bombshell' of old news gained via...
'They proved that I say the same publicly as I do on the phone. Nice work!' Meanwhile, the foreign-funded journalist in question potentially faces life imprisonment for espionage and treason Last week, anti-Orban journalist Szabolcs Pannyi made headlines for claiming Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó had violated confidentiality agreements with the EU Council for speaking between meetings with his counterpart in Brussels. The problem? A…
Hungary’s FM Labels Recent Leaks as ‘Major Scandal’ as Russiagate Escalates
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó described the recent audio leaks in Hungary’s ‘Russiagate’ as a ‘major scandal’, adding that they have now proven that foreign intelligence services are interfering in the country’s upcoming election. ‘Foreign intelligence services have been continuously wiretapping my phone calls, and these recordings have now been made public—a week and a half before the Hungarian parliamentary el…
Polish and Irish leaders condemn Hungarian foreign minister’s alleged links to Russia
Leaked audio appeared to capture Péter Szijjártó telling Moscow he would try to amend EU sanctions list to its liking Polish and Irish leaders have called the Hungarian government’s actions “repulsive” and “sinister”, after leaked audio appeared to capture its foreign minister telling Moscow he…
New sound recordings show how Hungary's Foreign Minister informed Moscow about EU consultations and supported them in the field of sanctions.
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