Hungary starts removing 16 years of Russian influence as massive purge begins

The Orban administration in Hungary had been instrumental in pushing Russian interests, effectively making Russia the main political partner inside the European Union. However, since the recent election for the new government, Russian’s grip on Hungary is vanishing at an impressive pace.

The new Hungarian prime minister, Peter Magyar, stated that Europe must prepare for self defense because Russia poses a security threat, one which Hungary has already learned from experience, representing a complete strategic shift from Hungary's previous Russia friendly policy.

Magyar's new policies go beyond a change of tone in Hungary’s controversial foreign policy, as he aims to entirely reform a country that had been dangerously moving toward authoritarianism. However, Magyar's path for a new Hungary will also have to face the challenges arising from years of corruption and the dismantling of independent institutions. The corruption has continuously reinforced Russia’s grip on Hungary with the help of the people whom Orban put in power. For these reasons, Magyar’s immediate visit to Poland after taking office marked a trip of symbolic and practical importance, as Hungary moves away from Moscow.

Back in Hungary, one of Magyar's first concrete steps was to cut inflated salaries across public institutions, a move directly targeting the networks of Orban loyalists rewarded with public money.  He also created a new agency with a clear mission to track down corruption and how billions of euros in EU funds were misused under Orban, especially in projects where money circulated through companies tied to political allies. This corrupted system put Hungary at odds with the EU and enabled Russian influence to thrive. To contrast this influence, Magyar also replaced every director general in the intelligence services who had been appointed by Orban, removing another layer of leadership that had long been accused of advancing Russian interests.

These measures have produced immediate reactions from Russian officials and state linked commentators, who have described the process as a purge, inadvertently confirming that the reforms are hitting the right targets. The distancing from Moscow has also been promoted by Magyar with a call for energy independence from Russia, in open contrast to the dependency cultivated under Orban. The push for energy diversification further enables Hungary to make more independent choices, as visible from Hungary’s removal of a longstanding veto blocking the EU’s ninety billion loan to Kyiv, which will significantly help Ukraine to continue resisting Russian aggression.

The European Union has responded quickly to this shift, as sixteen billion euros in previously frozen EU funds were released after Hungary's new anti corruption reforms. The renewed relationship also pushed Hungary to drop its veto on opening accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova, accompanied by a declaration to end the veto blackmail dynamic that has characterized its EU relations. Furthermore, the EU flag is once again flying over the Hungarian parliament after twelve years of absence, symbolically indicating how Hungary is not only distancing from Russia but actively rejoining the European project.

The change in policy has reconciled Hungary’s relations with Ukraine as well, which led the two countries to sign an agreement protecting minority rights and a change in the conflictual posture. The Magyar government also returned Ukrainian bank funds seized earlier by Hungarian special services under Orban’s order, a gesture that signaled a break with the opaque practices that once aligned Hungary with Moscow’s interests. Finally, Hungary joined Ukraine in condemning the Russian shelling of the region with the strongest Hungarian minority presence, marking another important sign of realignment.

Overall, Magyar’s early actions reveal a leader intent on dismantling the system that kept Hungary aligned with Russia for sixteen years and on restoring Hungary’s place in Europe. His reforms strike at the foundations of Orban’s power, and Russia’s complaints show that the purge worries Moscow, which sees its grip on the country slipping. In fact, with the Orban defeat, Russia has lost one of its most important assets to interfere with the EU and its support to Ukraine. As a result, the EU will be able to act more decisively, cohesively, and independently, while Russia loses yet another important ally on the international stage.