The EU has already warned Szijjártó not to disclose confidential discussions to third parties

The European Commission has once again reminded Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó that it is unacceptable to disclose the content of closed-door meetings, following the publication of audio recordings of his conversations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. 

European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper noted at a briefing in Brussels on March 31, 2026, that EU High Representative Kaja Kallas had already spoken with the Hungarian diplomat regarding compliance with the principle of sincere cooperation, according to the EP. The Hungarian side was reminded that internal discussions of the EU Council must under no circumstances be disclosed to third parties.

Brussels’ official reaction was prompted by recordings in which Szijjártó and Lavrov discuss details of European leaders’ discussions that took place behind closed doors. Kallas emphasized the importance of confidentiality as the foundation of trust within the bloc, warning of the negative consequences of such information leaks. Despite previous remarks, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry continues to maintain close contacts with Russia, which is causing concern among EU allies. The European Commission is currently investigating the situation for potential systemic violations of the bloc’s security regulations and diplomatic protocols. Thus, the incident has once again strained relations between Budapest and other EU capitals against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing aggression.

As a reminder, the publication VSquare obtained recordings of a conversation between Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Sergey Lavrov. During the conversation, strategic information regarding critical EU issues was provided to Russia. 

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó responded to the publication of recordings of his telephone conversations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, ironically calling it “yet another great revelation.”