Russia has ordered Hungarian diplomats to leave the country within two weeks in retaliation for Budapest’s expulsion of 10 Russian diplomatic staff, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Moscow did not disclose how many Hungarian diplomats would be affected by the decision. The expulsions will involve staff at Hungary’s embassy in Moscow and its consulates general in St. Petersburg and Kazan, according to Radio Liberty.

Before announcing the measure, Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Hungary’s chargé d’affaires, Gábor Hergics, to protest Budapest’s decision to expel 10 Russian diplomatic staff.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán announced the expulsions on Sept. 8. Hungarian authorities said the Russian diplomats had engaged in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention.

The diplomatic dispute comes amid changes in Hungary’s approach to Moscow following the government led by Péter Magyar taking office in May.

The new government has criticized Russia over its war against Ukraine and stopped blocking European Union sanctions packages against Moscow. However, Hungary has not supplied weapons to Ukraine.

Relations between Russia and European countries have deteriorated since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Several EU member states have expelled Russian diplomats and closed Russian consulates and other institutions, prompting reciprocal measures from Moscow.

Under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary had not expelled Russian diplomats. Budapest last took such action in spring 2018. (ILKHA)