Russia Expels Hungarian Diplomats as Kaliningrad Dispute Raises NATO Tensions

Russia has ordered Hungarian diplomatic staff to leave the country within two weeks, retaliating against Budapest’s expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats on September 8. Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Hungary’s chargé d’affaires on Thursday and described the Hungarian expulsions as “groundless and openly unfriendly.” Hungary confirmed Moscow’s decision while saying it was not interested in further escalation. The dispute follows a series of diplomatic tensions between the two countries, although Moscow has said it remains interested in preserving bilateral relations.

The diplomatic confrontation comes as tensions between Russia and NATO continue to focus on the Baltic region and the strategic Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Russia warned on Wednesday that any attempt by NATO countries to isolate Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia would lead Moscow to use what it described as its “full arsenal of forces and means,” including nuclear weapons. Moscow also accused NATO of following a dangerous course that could increase the risk of direct armed conflict, highlighting how diplomatic disputes are increasingly unfolding alongside broader military and strategic tensions in Europe.