Summoned Russian ambassador leaves Ministry of Foreign Affairs after less than half an hour

Russian Ambassador Yevgeny Stanislavov entered the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 11:30 a.m. and left barely half an hour later. Péter Magyar had announced on Wednesday that Foreign Minister Anita Orbán had summoned the Russian ambassador for Thursday morning in connection with Wednesday's Russian drone attack on Ukraine, which also targeted Transcarpathia. Just as the Foreign Minister did before him, Magyar also strongly condemned the attack on behalf of the Hungarian government.

The Prime Minister noted that this was the most intensive drone attack to reach Transcarpathia since the outbreak of the war, with Mukachevo, Uzhhorod, Svalyava, and several smaller towns also hit. The management of the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) also informed Transport Minister Dávid Vitézy that employees of the Hungarian railways were at the Chop railway station near the Hungarian border at the time of the attack and had to go to shelters, but were later brought across to Hungarian territory.

The Prime Minister's reaction represents a sharp departure from the previous administration's approach to similar situations. Péter Szijjártó and his ministry used to be very keen on summoning ambassadors; the former minister had summoned the American, Austrian, German, Finnish, Danish, and Ukrainian ambassadors or their representatives on multiple occasions to call them to account for statements about Hungary made by a state leader or other prominent figure from their country. However, he did not summon the Russian ambassador even when it was revealed two years ago that Russian hackers had breached the IT system of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2022, nor when Transcarpathia came under Russian attack in the summer of 2025.

On the night of August 21, 2025, the Russians hit several parts of Transcarpathia, including Mukachevo. That was the first large-scale attack in Transcarpathia since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in February 2022, as well as the closest successful one near the Hungarian border. Still, the Russian ambassador was not summoned at the time either.

Following Wednesday"s Russian drone attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Péter Magyar for his compassion and strong position.

After twelve years, on Thursday, Anita Orbán held the first general assembly for the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, promising that “the professional and strategic tasks that have been the strength of Hungarian diplomacy for decades” will be restored.

Update: Shortly after her meeting with the Russian ambassador concluded, the Foreign Minister posted a video on her Facebook page, in which she said: “The Hungarian government strongly condemns the attack, and we demand an immediate end to the aggression against civilians". Anita Orbán added that Hungary finds the attack on Transcarpathia unacceptable, and Russia must do everything in its power to secure a ceasefire as soon as possible.