Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats on Tuesday, saying they had acted in ways incompatible with their diplomatic status, in a stark reminder that the pro-Russian years of former prime minister Viktor Orban are over.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it would retaliate and its response would be painful for Hungary, local media reported.
“The response to the Russophobic lobby in Budapest will be harsh and painful,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Orban, swept from power in Hungary in April after 16 years in office, had kept close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin even after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Under him, Hungary continued buying Russian oil and gas, held up European Union sanctions on Russia and blocked a €90 billion (US$97 billion) EU loan to Ukraine.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, many European countries expelled dozens of Russian diplomats, while Hungary expelled none. Until Tuesday, it had not sent any home publicly since 2018.