Fact-checking JD Vance's claims that Brussels is 'harming Hungary'
Is Brussels crippling the Hungarian economy and making Budapest less energy independent? JD Vance’s speech in Budapest makes several misleading claims.
A handful of days before Hungarians vote in elections that pit long-time leader Viktor Orbán against pro-European opposition candidate Péter Magyar, US Vice-President JD Vance travelled to Hungary to endorse Orbán and critique the EU
Vance, giving a press conference beside Orbán, made a number of claims about the European Union, accusing it of "trying to destroy" Hungary's economy, sabotaging the country's energy independence and "driving up costs for Hungarian consumers".
He didn't hold back as he accused the EU of "one of the worst examples of election interference I have ever seen or ever even read about" during his trip to Budapest.
But several of Vance's claims are misleading. Euronews' fact-checking team, The Cube, looked at the three biggest ones.
Is the EU trying to 'destroy' Hungary's economy?
According to Vance, Brussels is "trying to destroy the economy of Hungary".
But there is no evidence that the European Union is deliberately targeting Hungary's economy, which remains a beneficiary of EU funding and integrated in the European single market.
What Vance may have been referring to is the fact that, as of early 2026, Brussels has frozen at least €17 billion worth of funds allocated to Hungary as part of the EU budget, over Budapest's failure to implement sufficient reforms to combat long-standing rule of law breaches and misuse of public funds.
Some of these reforms include stemming corruption, improving judicial independence and public procurement processes.
The frozen funds are a central issue in Hungary's election, with opposition parties pledging to unlock the money, which is estimated to be the equivalent of roughly 8% of Hungary's GDP.
The conditions applied to Hungary are agreed by all member states and are designed to protect the EU budget, rather than punish specific economies.
It is also not permanent, and the funds can be released if Hungary meets the agreed reform conditions. Previously, Poland saw billions in EU recovery funds delayed over concerns about judicial reforms, although this money was eventually unlocked.
Is Brussels trying to make Hungary 'less energy independent'?
Vance claimed the EU is undermining Hungary’s energy independence and increasing consumer costs, but the reality is more complex.
The remarks appear to refer to the EU's push to diversify away from Russian crude oil, an endeavour that began after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and that Hungary seems hesitant to undertake.
It also appears to refer to a dispute around the Druzhba pipeline — a key supplier of Russian oil to Hungary — which has been damaged since early 2026.
The damage has sparked a dispute between Hungary and Slovakia on one side and Ukraine on the other, with Budapest alleging Ukrainian sabotage and Kyiv blaming a Russian airstrike.
The European Union has sent an independent "fact-finding mission" to ascertain the cause of the damage.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has sanctioned Russian energy, including a ban on seaborne oil. However, Hungary — along with Slovakia and Bulgaria — has been granted exemptions to continue pipeline imports.
Hungary remains highly dependent on Russian oil, which accounted for around 90% of its imports by 2025, according to the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), an independent think-tank based in Bulgaria.
In contrast, as part of long-term sanctions against Russia, European Union countries have all sought to diversify their fuel sources to wean EU economies off Russian oil.
But Hungary's continued reliance on Russian crude is complex and controversial. Orbán argues that switching away from the Druzhba pipeline would raise costs, but critics argue that Hungary has been slow to diversify despite having viable alternative routes that could supply the country with non-Russian crude.
Whilst Russian crude is indeed roughly 20% cheaper than alternatives, the CSD's analysis shows that this did not necessarily translate to lower prices for consumers, especially compared to neighbours in the Czech Republic, which reduced its imports of Russian crude.
Despite repeated claims that Russian imports would ensure low prices and energy security in Hungary, recent disruptions to the Druzhba pipeline, alongside turmoil in the Middle East, suggest the country has not benefited from its reliance on discounted Russian crude. Fuel prices in Hungary have risen in line with the rest of Europe amid global market instability.
Is Brussels dictating social media content for Hungarian voters?
Finally, Vance suggested that Brussels was directing social media content shown to Hungarian voters, implying EU interference in elections.
The vice president appeared to be targeting the Digital Services Act (DSA), in force since November 2022. The law is based on the principle that "what is illegal offline is also illegal online".
It aims to curb the spread of illegal or harmful content and goods, including racist abuse, child sexual abuse material, disinformation, and the sale of drugs or counterfeit products.
In November 2025, the DSA led to a €120 million fine against X over advertising transparency, contributing to tensions between the EU and Washington.
The administration of President Donald Trump has formally opposed the DSA and has targeted EU officials over it. For example, on 23 December 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that former European Commissioner Thierry Breton — seen by the administration as the architect of the law — would be barred from entering the United States for allegedly forcing US social platforms to censor users.
Thomas Regnier, spokesperson for the European Commission, told The Cube that the DSA addresses risks linked to online platforms, recalling that "in Europe, elections are the sole choice of citizens".
"Online platforms can be used to spread disinformation and manipulate citizens," he said. "Because of our Digital Services Act, online platforms have to mitigate risks to protect our democracies. In Europe, elections are not the choice of Big Tech and their algorithms."
Ahead of Hungary's elections, accounts supporting Fidesz have also accused Meta of censoring Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Fidesz official Balázs Orbán claimed users were "unable to like Fidesz-related content"
A spokesperson for the US tech company has hit back at these claims, telling The Cube there were "no restrictions on the [Hungarian] Prime Minister's accounts" and that none of his posts had been removed.
Meta's community standards, which determine whether content has a limited reach or is removed, are based on factors such as whether content is "hateful" or targets people for their race or sexual orientation, for examp
These, according to a Meta spokesperson, "apply equally to everybody".
MEPs warn of ‘serious' risks to Hungary election, urge Commission to act
A letter sent to Ursula von der Leyen denounces “potential Russian interference operation” in Hungary and “state-led intimidation,” raising concerns about the fairness of the upcoming vote.
Five senior MEPs responsible for monitoring rule-of-law concerns in Hungary urged the European Commission on Thursday to take "concrete steps" over what they describe as severe threats to the integrity of the country’s parliamentary elections on Sunday.
In a letter addressed to Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath, the lawmakers raise "serious doubts" about whether the election "can take place in a genuinely free and fair electoral environment."
They call on the Commission to "publicly assess" whether "the conditions for free and fair democratic competition in Hungary are being undermined by disinformation, foreign interference, state-resources misuse" as well as "intimidation of journalists."
In backing their call for action, they emphasize “a potential Russian interference operation in Hungary” as a covert support of the electoral campaign of the ruling Fidesz party, citing investigative reporting about an operation on behalf of Russia’s military intelligence service.
The letter —signed by Green MEP Tineke Strik and the European People's Party Michał Wawrykiewicz, among others— comes in the wake of several cases of election-related disinformation in Hungary over the past weeks. A network linked to pro-Kremlin actors impersonated major media outlets to spread false claims about Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar.
Hungary's close ties with Moscow have become more evident, as new leaked calls show the country's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó briefing his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during a key EU summit.
The letter also highlights the role of Szabolcs Panyi, the investigative journalist who exposed the alleged connection and was subsequently targeted in a state-led intimidation “of unprecedented severity."
“The Hungarian government filed criminal charges against him for alleged espionage, accompanied by a public campaign portraying him as a threat to the nation”, the MEPs wrote.
Another concern raised by the letter involves attempts to hack the opposition party Tisza’s IT systems — allegations that have been denounced by Magyar.
Strik and Wawrykiewicz serve as rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs, respectively, of the EU's Article 7 procedure against Hungary, a process that could ultimately suspend Budapest’s voting rights in the EU for serious breaches of the rule of law.
The other signatories involved in the procedure include Polish Socialist MEP Krzysztof Śmiszek, Belgian Liberal MEP Sophie Wilmès, and Greek MEP Konstantinos Arvanitis of The Left party.
Beyond calling for a public assessment of Hungary’s election integrity, the MEPs urge the Commission to pursue — and, where necessary, expand — infringement actions against Hungary for violations of EU law on media freedom.
'Alarming': Von der Leyen to raise Hungary's 'Russia leaks' with EU leaders
The allegations about Hungary leaking information to Russia raise the possibility of a member state "actively working against the security and the interests of the EU and its citizens", the European Commission said.
Ursula von der Leyen plans to raise the issue of Hungary's alleged practice of leaking information to Russia at the highest level of Europe's leadership, her spokesperson announced in the wake of new revelations.
The direct involvement of the president of the European Commission lays bare the widespread outrage and unease triggered by Budapest's exceptionally close ties with Moscow, which are increasingly seen as a security threat from within.
The allegations "highlight the alarming possibility of a member state's government coordinating with Russia, thus actively working against the security and the interests of the EU and its citizens," the spokesperson said on Thursday afternoon.
"This is, therefore, extremely concerning, and it's for the member state's government in question to explain itself as a matter of urgency."
It was not immediately clear when von der Leyen would raise the sensitive issue, given that Hungarians are heading to the polls on 12 April in an election where the incumbent, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, trails in opinion polls by double digits.
Officials in Brussels have been trying to keep a low profile during the electoral period to avoid fuelling Orbán's anti-EU and anti-Ukraine rhetoric, which has become the defining feature of his bruising campaign.
Initially, the Commission called on Hungary to clarify the reports and respect the principle of sincere cooperation that guides the bloc's collective decision-making.
But the line hardened this week after a new story by five European media described how Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stepped out of an EU summit to call his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, to brief him about a high-stakes debate on whether to open accession talks with Ukraine, which Orbán had fiercely resisted.
A transcript from the phone conversation, recorded on 14 December 2023, shows Lavrov encouraging Szijjártó to veto the decision. "Sometimes, good-willed direct blackmailing is the best option," Lavrov is said to have told Szijjártó.
A previous story by the five media outlets showed Szijjártó actively discussing with Lavrov the removal of names from the EU sanctions list.
Szijjártó has not denied the content of the revelations. Instead, he has depicted the cascade of reports as an undercover attempt to meddle in the 12 April elections.
The revelations come at a time of high tensions between Orbán and his fellow leaders over his decision to veto a €90 billion loan to Ukraine at the last stage of the process.
Meanwhile, a cross-party group of 10 MEPs sent a letter to Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament, requesting limitations on the access that "certain openly pro-Russian" lawmakers have to sensitive information.
"We firmly believe that this situation (of leaks) undermines the work, trust and institutional integrity of the European Parliament, as well as the safety of our Union," the MEPs wrote in the joint letter, seen by Euronews.
"The time has come to proactively address the prevailing internal weaknesses and security threats."
New leaks reveal Szijjártó briefing Russia’s Lavrov on key EU summit
Copyright AP Photo
Leaked calls show Hungary's Foreign Minister briefing Russia's Lavrov during a key EU summit, offering confidential EU documents to Moscow, and arranging a meeting between Orbán and Vladimir Putin.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in 2023 to brief him on a debate among EU leaders over whether to open accession talks with Ukraine at a key summit in Brussels, according to one of the transcripts of leaked recordings published by several Hungarian investigative news outlets.
The transcript, stemming from a call recorded at an EU summit on 14 December 2023, reveals that Szijjártó stepped out of the meeting to call Lavrov and brief him on the state of negotiations. It also includes Lavrov reportedly saying: “Sometimes good-willed direct blackmailing is the best option.”
The transcripts and audio recordings — obtained by media outlets VSquare, Frontstory, Delfi Estonia, The Insider and the Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak — come days before Hungary's pivotal general election on Sunday.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule faces its strongest challenge yet from opposition leader Péter Magyar, whose Tisza Party currently tops the polls.
This contest has also placed Hungary’s close ties to Russia squarely at the centre of the campaign, fuelling tensions within the European Union.
The Washington Post had previously reported that Szijjártó had called Russian officials during breaks in Foreign Affairs Council meetings in Brussels. The minister later said such contacts were routine diplomatic practice, conducted before and after council sessions.
After the 2023 call between Szijjártó's and Lavrov, Orbán dropped his veto and left for a coffee break, allowing the other 26 EU leaders to agree on opening membership talks with Ukraine. Szijjártó remained in the room, following the negotiations even after Orbán departed.
The new leaks also include another transcript, dated 2 July 2024 — during Hungary's rotating presidency of the EU Council — which captures Szijjártó calling Lavrov again to arrange a meeting between Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
At the time, Orbán was on a self-styled peace mission, having already met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He faced strong criticism in Brussels for using the EU presidency to advance a unilateral foreign policy.
During the call, Szijjártó also appeared to emphasise the diplomatic clout of Orbán's visit. "We cannot divide the two, but I think it increases the significance that he is the Chair of the European Union," he said, according to the transcript.
In addition, the leaked recordings reveal a passage in which Szijjártó offered to share an EU document relating to Ukraine's accession negotiations.
After Lavrov sought the exact text of a compromise on language rights for Ukraine’s national minorities — confirmed by Szijjártó as decisive — the minister offered to send it directly.
"I will send it to you. It's not a problem," Szijjártó told Lavrov. "I immediately do it. I send it to my embassy in Moscow, and my ambassador will forward it to your chief of staff, and then it's at your disposal."
Szijjártó responded to the revelations on social media, calling the release of the recordings “an unusually crude and open secret service intervention.”
He added that the calls showed Hungary stands for peace, advocates for Hungarians in Ukraine, fights for affordable Russian oil and gas, and views certain actions by Brussels as “very dangerous and a complete tragedy.
Opposition leader Péter Magyar had previously characterised Szijjártó's alleged conduct as treasonous. "This is an open betrayal of Hungarian and European interests," Magyar said in March.
The European Commission also raised concerns in March, calling on Hungary to clarify the allegations, which it described as deeply concerning.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in 2023 to brief him on a debate among EU leaders over whether to open accession talks with Ukraine at a key summit in Brussels, according to one of the transcripts of leaked recordings published by several Hungarian investigative news outlets.
The transcript, stemming from a call recorded at an EU summit on 14 December 2023, reveals that Szijjártó stepped out of the meeting to call Lavrov and brief him on the state of negotiations. It also includes Lavrov reportedly saying: “Sometimes good-willed direct blackmailing is the best option.”
The transcripts and audio recordings — obtained by media outlets VSquare, Frontstory, Delfi Estonia, The Insider and the Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak — come days before Hungary's pivotal general election on Sunday.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule faces its strongest challenge yet from opposition leader Péter Magyar, whose Tisza Party currently tops the polls.
This contest has also placed Hungary’s close ties to Russia squarely at the centre of the campaign, fuelling tensions within the European Union.
The Washington Post had previously reported that Szijjártó had called Russian officials during breaks in Foreign Affairs Council meetings in Brussels. The minister later said such contacts were routine diplomatic practice, conducted before and after council sessions.
After the 2023 call between Szijjártó's and Lavrov, Orbán dropped his veto and left for a coffee break, allowing the other 26 EU leaders to agree on opening membership talks with Ukraine. Szijjártó remained in the room, following the negotiations even after Orbán departed.
The new leaks also include another transcript, dated 2 July 2024 — during Hungary's rotating presidency of the EU Council — which captures Szijjártó calling Lavrov again to arrange a meeting between Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
At the time, Orbán was on a self-styled peace mission, having already met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He faced strong criticism in Brussels for using the EU presidency to advance a unilateral foreign policy.
During the call, Szijjártó also appeared to emphasise the diplomatic clout of Orbán's visit. "We cannot divide the two, but I think it increases the significance that he is the Chair of the European Union," he said, according to the transcript.
In addition, the leaked recordings reveal a passage in which Szijjártó offered to share an EU document relating to Ukraine's accession negotiations.
After Lavrov sought the exact text of a compromise on language rights for Ukraine’s national minorities — confirmed by Szijjártó as decisive — the minister offered to send it directly.
"I will send it to you. It's not a problem," Szijjártó told Lavrov. "I immediately do it. I send it to my embassy in Moscow, and my ambassador will forward it to your chief of staff, and then it's at your disposal."
Szijjártó responded to the revelations on social media, calling the release of the recordings “an unusually crude and open secret service intervention.”
He added that the calls showed Hungary stands for peace, advocates for Hungarians in Ukraine, fights for affordable Russian oil and gas, and views certain actions by Brussels as “very dangerous and a complete tragedy.
Opposition leader Péter Magyar had previously characterised Szijjártó's alleged conduct as treasonous. "This is an open betrayal of Hungarian and European interests," Magyar said in March.
The European Commission also raised concerns in March, calling on Hungary to clarify the allegations, which it described as deeply concerning.
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