What the foreign minister said

Hungary's Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, has confirmed that he kept in regular contact with Moscow, including exchanges with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during meetings of EU ministers. This admission follows reporting by the Washington Post and came during a campaign event in Keszthely, according to media reports.

His explanation

Szijjártó argued that EU decisions on energy, industry and security directly affect relations with countries outside the bloc, Russia included. He said these topics need to be discussed with external partners and that he speaks not only with the Russian foreign minister but also with American, Turkish, Israeli and Serbian counterparts before and after Council meetings. This statement is a shift from his earlier reaction, when he dismissed the allegations as "fake news."

On protocol and phones

The minister also took to social media to reject accusations that he violated EU security protocols during Foreign Affairs Council gatherings. His main points were:

  • No secrets are discussed at the ministerial level, in his view.
  • He said that, aside from him, all ministers bring their phones into the meeting room.
  • He called the idea of strict rules governing those contacts "pure madness."

Why this matters

Contacts between EU ministers and non-EU officials during Council meetings raise questions about protocol and transparency. Szijjártó frames his actions as pragmatic diplomacy tied to policy areas where outside partners matter. Critics will focus on security rules and whether informal contacts cross established lines.

For now, Szijjártó has publicly owned these conversations and defended them as part of handling complex issues that extend beyond EU borders.