Budapest's contact with Moscow during key EU meetings ‘greatly concerning,’ says Barroso

Published on 26/03/2026 - 8:48 GMT+1

José Manuel Barroso, erstwhile president of the European Commission, said allegations that Hungary shared confidential accusation with Russia during EU meetings are "very disturbing and greatly concerning".

In an interrogation connected Euronews' flagship greeting programme 'Europe Today', Barroso stressed the value of "sincere practice among subordinate states".

He added that Budapest should archetypal marque wide the grade of its interaction with the Kremlin, adding that if the clarification "is not sufficient," past European Council President António Costa should determination to exclude Hungary "in immoderate matters".

Up until now, the clarifications "provided truthful acold by the Hungarian authorities are not truly clarifications," said the erstwhile EU chief.

Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó admitted a fewer days agone aft media reports emerged that helium regularly speaks connected the telephone with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. The contacts person happened "before and after" Brussels meetings, said Budapest's apical diplomat.

According to Szijjártó, these contacts are “completely normal” and “standard practice”, though discussions successful specified meetings are understood to beryllium confidential.

Szijjártó noted that helium had briefed not lone Russia but besides Turkey, Israel, Serbia, and the United States, thing Barroso described arsenic "quite strange" arsenic it puts Budapest and Washington "at the aforesaid level".

For Barroso, this "raises precise important matters of loyalty among subordinate states".

But this mightiness not beryllium the archetypal clip Hungary is successful the spotlight for specified incidents. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had antecedently revealed that Lithuania requested the exclusion of a Hungarian delegation from a NATO gathering arsenic aboriginal arsenic 2019, amid fears that it whitethorn person shared classified accusation to Moscow.

Russia is heavy sanctioned by the EU implicit its full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022, and astir subordinate states person chopped oregon drastically reduced ties with Moscow. The European Commission has besides called connected Hungary to clarify the contacts.

"The reports regarding the Hungarian overseas curate allegedly disclosing to his Russian counterpart the closed-door ministerial-level discussions successful the Council are greatly concerning," said a spokesperson for the European enforcement connected Monday.

While the bloc tin instrumentality ineligible measures against countries violating the work of sincere cooperation, Barroso outlined that a governmental oregon diplomatic attack mightiness beryllium much favourable.

"We tin ever amusement to a state that behaves not respecting the basal principles of decency that the countries tin determination connected politically arsenic well", helium told Euronews.