EU Limits Intelligence Sharing With Hungary Over Russia Leak Concerns

The European Union is limiting the flow of sensitive information to Hungary amid concerns that Budapest may be sharing confidential details with Russia, Politico reported on Monday, March 23, citing European diplomats and officials.

According to the report, EU leaders have increasingly shifted key discussions into smaller group formats, excluding Hungary from certain sensitive talks.

Concerns over information leaks

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he and others “had our suspicions” that Hungary was passing details about closed-door EU meetings to Moscow.

“The news that Orbán’s people inform Moscow about EU Council meetings in every detail shouldn’t come as a surprise,” Tusk wrote on X.

The European Commission described the reports as “greatly concerning” and called on Hungary to provide clarification regarding its communications with Russia.

No immediate response before elections

Despite these concerns, EU officials are unlikely to take formal action before Hungary’s upcoming elections on April 12, Politico reported.

Diplomats cited fears that Europe’s response could influence the vote and strengthen Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s political position.

Hungarian officials have denied the allegations.Hungary’s Minister for Europe, János Bóka, called the reports “fake news,” while Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó dismissed them as “conspiracy theories.”

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Hungary Says It Has Deal With Ukraine on Minority Rights, Ties It to EU Accession Talks

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced that Hungary and Ukraine have reached a “comprehensive agreement” to broaden language, cultural, educational and political rights for roughly 100,000 ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region, following several weeks of expert-level talks. Kyiv has pledged to write the agreed measures into Ukrainian law, reflecting them in the EU accession action plan. Budapest indicated it would support opening the first negotiating cluster for Ukraine.

The dispute comes just weeks before Hungary’s parliamentary election, widely seen as the toughest challenge to Orbán’s rule in years.

Some analysts say the clash allows him to present himself as a defender of sovereignty and a “peace” candidate resisting deeper involvement in the war.

His critics also point to alleged Russian interference in the election campaign and note that Hungary is blocking the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Moscow, reinforcing claims that Budapest is acting in line with Kremlin interests.

Despite the standoff, Brussels insists that support for Kyiv will continue, stressing the urgency of financial assistance as the war drags on.

Earlier, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said Hungary would block the €90 billion aid package and the 20th sanctions package until issues surrounding oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline are resolved.