Did Minister Szijjártó brief Lavrov during EU talks and offer to forward documents? Leaked recordings here!

A new investigative report from VSquare claims Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó held multiple phone calls with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov between 2023 and 2025, including a conversation made during a break in a European Council meeting on Ukraine and Moldova’s EU accession talks.

According to the report, Szijjártó not only updated Lavrov on sensitive EU discussions but also indicated he would have a document forwarded to the Russian side via diplomatic channels.

For international readers: Hungary is an EU and NATO member, but Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government has often been a vocal outlier on Russia and Ukraine policy inside the bloc, regularly clashing with partners over sanctions, military support, and Ukraine’s integration path.

What VSquare claims happened during an EU summit break

VSquare’s article begins with events in 2023, when EU leaders gathered at a European Council meeting to discuss launching EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.

Orbán, who initially threatened a veto, attended the summit accompanied by Szijjártó. During one break, the Hungarian foreign minister allegedly called Lavrov and briefed him on the state of the talks.

In the transcript cited by the report, Lavrov responds positively to what he hears and makes a remark interpreted as endorsing pressure tactics, saying that sometimes “open blackmail” can be the best solution.

The veto threat did not block the decision

The report also recounts how the attempted blocking strategy ultimately failed. According to the article, Orbán left the room during the vote — after Germany’s chancellor reportedly encouraged him to step out for coffee — allowing the remaining 26 EU leaders to adopt the decision.

Szijjártó, the report says, remained at the venue until the end of the talks.

‘Informant’ claims and a disputed portrayal

A central — and highly charged — element of the report is its characterisation of the Szijjártó–Lavrov relationship.

VSquare claims the calls suggest Szijjártó’s role went beyond general diplomatic contact, alleging that he provided Lavrov with “valuable information” about how a “Western coalition” aimed to increase pressure on Russia to end the war.

A source described as an intelligence figure is quoted as saying the relationship resembled that of a handler and an agent rather than two equal foreign ministers. This is an allegation presented in the investigative report; it is not independently verified within the text provided.

A 2024 call linked to Orbán’s Kyiv visit and a planned Putin meeting

The report also highlights a 2024 phone call that allegedly took place on the same day Orbán visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

According to VSquare, Szijjártó called Lavrov afterwards to brief him on what happened between Orbán and Zelensky. He also reportedly sought information on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would receive Orbán ahead of a NATO summit, because Orbán wanted to explain the consequences of the Kyiv meeting to Putin.

VSquare further claims this plan for an Orbán–Putin meeting was kept secret from EU and NATO allies, with European officials cited as believing the secrecy was intentional to prevent partners from trying to block the encounter.

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Document transfer allegation: “I’ll send it to you. No problem.”

One of the most concrete claims in the report concerns an alleged request from Lavrov for a specific document related to the start of Ukraine’s accession negotiations.

According to the transcript cited by VSquare, Lavrov said he was calling to ask about details surrounding the opening of talks, including reports that the issue of national minority languages played a decisive role.

Lavrov reportedly said he would try to obtain the exact document. Szijjártó allegedly replied immediately: “I’ll send it to you. No problem.”

The report claims Szijjártó then described a channel via the Hungarian embassy, saying he would send the document to Hungary’s embassy in Moscow and that his ambassador would forward it to Lavrov’s chief of staff.

An EU official is quoted as saying with “99 percent certainty” that the document was the negotiating framework — but also suggesting it had already been public, raising questions about why Lavrov asked for it. A Western intelligence source cited by VSquare suggests Lavrov may have been “testing” how far Szijjártó would go in providing information.

Why the story matters

If the allegations prove to be true, they raise serious questions about Hungary’s conduct in EU decision-making processes, at a time when tensions are escalating due to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

This story is also connected to the long-standing dispute between Budapest and Brussels over Ukraine policy, in which it is alleged that Hungary has used the issue of the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine to slow down Kyiv’s EU accession process. At the same time, Ukraine refuses to comply with European minority standards; Hungarian students are not allowed to study in their native language, and Kyiv is unwilling to make any concessions in this regard. If we think about it, what a smart move it would be for Kyiv to grant the long-awaited minority rights, not only to Hungarians but to all minorities living in Ukraine.

As we wrote today, Hungary–Russia 12-point plan made public as Orbán and Putin seek closer ties