Russia will give an appropriate response to Hungary's decision to expel 10 Russian diplomats, but remains open to the development of bilateral relations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by "Reuters".
Hungary announced the expulsions on Monday, saying the diplomats had acted in a manner inconsistent with their diplomatic status. The move marks a clear break with the era of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who maintained close relations with Moscow.
Orban lost the election in April and was replaced by Peter Magyar as Hungary's leader — a member state of NATO and the European Union.
Peskov noted that the expulsion has a negative impact on relations and will not go unanswered.
"At the same time, we remain open to the further development of our relations. We are interested in this and do not support actions that would harm what can be called a valuable heritage and experience in Russian-Hungarian bilateral relations," he emphasized.