Tensions soar in Brussels; Transcripts of Szijjártó and Lavrov's talks released; Rapid response PHOTO

Recordings expose how Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó coordinated with Lavrov amid EU leak scandal

Recordings, as reported by Index, have shown just how deeply Budapest was working in Moscow’s interests within the European Union.

In these conversations, Szijjártó can be heard sharing confidential details from Brussels with the Russians, attempting to remove Russian names from the EU sanctions list, and offering assistance in saving Russian companies from European sanctions.

"Calling at Alisher’s request"

One of the most notable conversations took place on August 30, 2024, just an hour after Szijjártó returned from Saint Petersburg to Budapest.

Lavrov called him and immediately got to the point. Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov wanted his sister, Gulbahor Ismailova, removed from the EU sanctions list.

"Look, I’m calling at Alisher’s request; he just asked me to remind you that you did something regarding his sister," Lavrov said.

Szijjártó responded without hesitation, saying that he and the Slovaks would submit a proposal to the EU to remove her from the list, adding: "We will do everything we can to get her off."

Lavrov thanked him for his "support and fight for equality in all fields."

Seven months later, Ismailova was indeed removed from the EU list, journalists report.

After concluding the concrete task, the two continued the conversation in an almost friendly tone, mocking the European Union, particularly the member states that strongly support Ukraine.

Lavrov called the then-head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell his "greatest disappointment," while Szijjártó described him as the "European Biden."

Lavrov cynically commented on European rules and identity politics, and Szijjártó obediently explained the bureaucratic protocols in Brussels.

"Always at your disposal"

Towards the end of the conversation, the Hungarian minister tried to flatter his Russian counterpart, praising Gazprom’s new headquarters he had visited in Russia and saying: "I am always at your disposal."

A senior European intelligence official, who was shown the transcripts, said any professional would immediately recognize such a conversation as communication between an operative and their own source.

The portal Insider, which published the transcripts in cooperation with VSquare, notes that these conversations document for the first time the full extent of closeness between Szijjártó and Lavrov.

Beyond carrying out what was asked of him, Szijjártó routinely briefed Lavrov on details from European foreign ministers’ meetings.

Briefing Lavrov on EU Foreign Affairs Council Meetings

In the same conversation, he relayed to Lavrov what had been discussed the day before at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, including a dispute with then-Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.

When contacted by journalists, Landsbergis confirmed the details and said it seemed Putin had "a mole" at all official EU and NATO meetings. According to him, if Europe wants to preserve the integrity of these meetings, Hungary should be excluded. He added that "every generation has its Kim Philby," and Szijjártó plays that role "with enthusiasm."

The story does not stop with Usmanov’s sister.

Insider reports that Hungary and Slovakia regularly blackmailed Brussels by blocking the extension of the entire sanctions package to remove certain Russian names from the list. Diplomats say Budapest and Bratislava often started negotiations with a long list of Russians they wanted to save, then narrowed it down to a few politically important individuals. Among them were Vyacheslav Moshe Kantor, Mikhail Degtyaryov, Nikita Mazepin, the mother of Yevgeny Prigozhin, and even Patriarch Kirill.

Erdogan also assisted the Russians

A powerful ally outside the EU also helped. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a letter in early March to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, calling Usmanov "a dear friend" and describing him as transparent and charitable.

Insider reports that Slovakia formally delivered the letter requesting Usmanov’s removal from the sanctions list, while Hungary supported both him and billionaire Mikhail Fridman.

Another series of leaked conversations shows Szijjártó acted similarly with Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin. In one phone call, he complained that the EU would not provide documents related to sanctioning the Dubai-based company "2Rivers," a key firm for selling Russian oil via the so-called shadow fleet.

He explained that Hungary and Slovakia were blocking the 18th sanctions package and openly stated that he was trying to "cancel" the entire package.

Szijjártó requested arguments against sanctions from Moscow

Even more strikingly, he did not stop there. Szijjártó told Sorokin that he had already succeeded in removing 72 Russian entities from a proposed list of 128 and asked the Russian side to provide arguments supporting further removals in Hungary’s interest.

In other words, he was not only repeating Russian positions in Brussels but also requesting ready-made arguments from Moscow to use against sanctions.

At one point, he offered to check which Russian banks Brussels planned to sanction and promised to do everything possible to save them. He said he had already removed Bank Saint Petersburg from the list, as well as another bank linked to the Paks nuclear project.

Szijjártó speaks out

After the transcripts were published, the Hungarian Foreign Minister commented on his social media account:

"It has long been known that foreign intelligence services, with the active participation of Hungarian journalists, intercept my phone calls. Today they made a new 'big discovery' – they proved that I say publicly the same things I say on the phone. Well done," Szijjártó said.

He emphasized that for four years he has stated that the sanctions are a failure and cause more harm to the EU than to Russia.

"Hungary will never agree to sanction individuals or companies that are essential for our energy security, for achieving peace, or those who have no reason to be on the sanctions list. However, the list of tapped phones is not complete. I have also regularly consulted with foreign ministers of several non-EU countries on issues related to sanctions," he concluded.