Some European Union leaders have raised concerns over Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s recent actions during Hungary’s presidency of the EU Council. These concerns led to several leaders boycotting an informal meeting hosted by Hungary. The boycott was in response to Orbán’s unannounced trips to Moscow and Beijing earlier in the month, where he sought to mediate peace in Ukraine and held meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Orbán’s actions, including meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, have sparked unease among EU partners, who worry that he may be acting on behalf of the bloc and potentially undermining EU unity on support for Ukraine. Despite holding the rotating EU Council presidency from July to December 2024, Orbán’s moves have not been well received by all member states.
Some nations, like Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic countries, as well as the EU Commission, decided to boycott meetings in Budapest and send civil servants instead of top officials. However, not all EU members participated in the boycott. Energy ministers from Austria, Belgium, and Bulgaria attended an informal meeting on energy in Hungary’s capital, with one minister downplaying the boycott.
The Hungarian government responded to the boycott with mixed reactions, with some officials criticizing it as part of political campaigns. Hungarian EU lawmaker Kinga Gál accused Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of using EU institutions against Hungary. However, Hungary’s finance minister emphasized the country’s commitment to cooperation with all member states and institutions.
The Commission expressed its disapproval of Orbán’s uncoordinated trips and the message they conveyed regarding the war in Ukraine by sending lower-level officials to Hungary’s meetings. The boycott and reactions from both Hungarian and EU officials highlight the tensions surrounding Orbán’s presidency and his recent diplomatic moves.
