EU Officials Boycott Hungary Meetings Over Orban's Ties to Russia, China

Top European Union officials will boycott informal meetings hosted by Hungary during its EU presidency. This decision follows Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's unsanctioned meetings with foreign leaders about Ukraine, which upset many European partners. The European Commission president and other top officials will not attend these meetings, as announced by commission spokesperson Eric Mamer on Monday.

Hungary assumed the rotating EU presidency on July 1. Since then, Orban has visited Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, China, and the United States. He described these visits as a "peace mission" to end Russia's war in Ukraine. However, many EU leaders were angered by these actions, stating they were not informed beforehand.

Hungary's Controversial Stance

Orban's government has taken a stance that contrasts with most EU countries by refusing to supply weapons to Ukraine and threatening to block financial aid to the country. Hungary's Europe minister, Janos Boka, criticised the European Commission's decision, stating that the body should not selectively choose which institutions and member states to cooperate with.

The European Commission's boycott applies specifically to informal meetings hosted by Hungary. Instead of top officials like Ursula von der Leyen, senior civil servants will attend these gatherings. Orban's visits to Moscow and Beijing, where he met with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, further aggravated his EU counterparts.

Reactions from EU Leaders

EU leaders clarified that Orban was not representing the EU during his visits. In an interview with Magyar Nemzet on Monday, Orban's political director stated that the prime minister had informed other EU leaders in writing about his negotiations and peace mission proposals. "If Europe wants peace and wants to have a decisive say in settling the war and ending the bloodshed, it must now work out and implement a change of direction," said Balázs Orbán.

Hungary has long advocated for an immediate cease-fire and peace talks in Ukraine but has not detailed what this would mean for Ukraine's territorial integrity and security. Critics accuse Orban of undermining EU and NATO unity by pursuing an "appeasement" strategy towards Russia.

Criticism of Orban's Actions

Following Orban's unannounced visit to Moscow on July 5 for talks with Putin — the first such visit by an EU leader in over two years — Ursula von der Leyen accused him of trying to placate Putin. She wrote on X: "Appeasement will not stop Putin. Only unity and determination will pave the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine."

Orban's government maintains close ties with Moscow despite Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This adversarial stance towards Ukraine has drawn significant criticism from other EU members.

The decision by top EU officials to boycott Hungary-hosted meetings underscores the deep divisions within the bloc regarding Hungary's foreign policy actions. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between Hungary and other EU countries over their approach to the conflict in Ukraine.