Russia adds Hungary to 'unfriendly countries' list after Magyar wins

On Sunday, April 12, parliamentary elections were held in Hungary. According to preliminary results, Péter Magyar secured victory, leaving the Kremlin dissatisfied, the Russian media report.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the pro-Kremlin candidate Viktor Orbán, who had been in power in Hungary for more than 16 years, was a convenient and beneficial partner. He was widely seen as Putin’s voice in Europe and repeatedly obstructed European decisions aimed at supporting Ukraine.

In the latest election, Orbán received full backing from Moscow, which reportedly poured significant resources into boosting the Kremlin-friendly candidate. However, Hungarian voters made a democratic choice, and opposition candidate Péter Magyar won by a wide margin.

The politician supports good relations with Europe, but his stance on Ukraine remains unclear, including what decisions he may take and how diplomatic ties will be shaped.

Even now, it is evident that the Kremlin is reacting with frustration. Pro-Kremlin Russian media have quoted Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying that Moscow will not congratulate Magyar on his victory in Hungary’s parliamentary elections, adding that the country is now considered "unfriendly."