Leaked documents reveal that Hungary and Russia have established a comprehensive 12-point plan to deepen bilateral cooperation across security, economic, and cultural spheres, raising alarm in Brussels about Budapest's continued alignment with Moscow despite European Union sanctions.
The agreement, obtained by Politico, was signed during Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó's visit to Moscow in February and outlines expanded cooperation in energy, trade, and what the document terms "information policy coordination." The revelation comes just days before Hungary's contested parliamentary elections on Sunday.
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government has maintained close relations with Russia throughout the Ukraine conflict, positioning Hungary as the primary obstacle to EU consensus on sanctions and military aid for Kyiv. The secret agreement represents a formalization of what had been largely informal coordination.
According to the leaked documents, the 12-point plan includes provisions for expanding Russian natural gas deliveries to Hungary beyond current contracts, increased bilateral trade to compensate for sanctions-related losses, and "joint efforts to counter disinformation about Hungarian-Russian relations." The latter phrase has raised particular concern among EU officials, who interpret it as coordinated messaging to justify Budapest's pro-Russian stance.
"This is not simply bilateral cooperation between sovereign nations," said , a Belgian member of the European Parliament.
