Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has made a sharp proposal to Hungary, calling for it to be stripped of its voting rights in the European Union. He said this in an interview with the German newspaper Rheinische Post, published on April 5, 2025. According to the Estonian diplomat, such a step is necessary to preserve the unity of the EU and prevent an internal split, which, in his opinion, Budapest is provoking with its foreign policy. Tsahkna did not limit himself to procedural arguments, adding an emotional assessment: he called Hungary a "weak country" and accused it of essentially "playing on Putin's team", hinting at the close ties of the Hungarian leadership with Moscow.

The Estonian Foreign Minister justified his position by saying that Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, systematically blocks key EU decisions, including sanctions against Russia and financial aid to Ukraine. According to him, such behavior undermines the solidarity of member states in the context of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe. Tsahkna emphasized that depriving Hungary of voting rights in the EU Council would be a "logical response" to its actions, which, in his opinion, are at odds with the common interests of the union. This proposal essentially refers to Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty, which allows for the suspension of a member state's rights for serious violations of EU values, although such a step requires consensus from other states.

Tsahkna's statement comes amid a growing standoff between Hungary and other EU countries. Budapest has been repeatedly criticized for its stance toward Russia, including its refusal to support some sanctions packages and maintain economic ties with Moscow. Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, for his part, calls such policies pragmatic, arguing that they protect the country's national interests amid its energy dependence on Russian gas.