EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell plans to hold a formal meeting of EU foreign ministers on the same day Hungary, as the EU Council president, has scheduled its own meeting. This move is seen as a strategic boycott, with diplomats indicating it aims to send a strong message that Hungary does not represent the EU’s stance. The clash on August 28-29 could highlight growing tensions and political rifts within the EU, making for a dramatic showdown.
By planning their own foreign affairs conference in August rather than coming to Budapest for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s event, European Union foreign affairs ministers are poised to snub Hungary.
Hungary, which now holds the rotating chair of the EU Council, is set to host a summit on foreign affairs in Budapest on August 28–29. This will be a great chance for Orbán to try to influence the foreign policy agenda of the bloc and for his minister of foreign affairs, Péter Szijjártó, to take center stage reports Politico.
However, following his obstruction of Ukrainian aid and his purported peace visits to Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin—which he did not organize in consultation with the other 26 national leaders of the European Union—many foreign ministers have been searching for a means to avoid being props in what they perceive to be yet another Orbán propaganda piece.
Let’s introduce Josep Borrell. At the same time as Orbán’s summit, the EU chief for foreign policy will call the ministers to a “formal” foreign affairs council, according to three EU diplomats with direct knowledge of the plan who asked to remain anonymous since the move is highly sensitive.
It comes after his colleagues severely chastised Hungary’s EU envoy, Bálint Ñdor, at a meeting earlier this month, with Slovakia being the only nation to refrain from speaking. In an attempt to curb Hungary’s trolling, the ministers plan to boycott its foreign affairs gathering.
“If there’s a formal foreign affairs council, organized by the high representative [Borrell] the same day, the ministers won’t be able to go to Budapest,” said one of the diplomats.
Another foreign minister said that the other ministers intended to “send a clear signal that Hungary does not speak for the EU” by abstaining from the Budapest summit.
Tensions between the EU and Hungary had been rising for years before Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. Under Orbán, the nation has been regressing against democratic standards and the rule of law, as well as interfering with the smooth operation of the EU by obstructing the enactment of legislation or the distribution of funds in exchange for concessions in other fields.
The ministers of other EU nations have been willing to ignore Hungary. Only seven foreign ministers attended the first meeting of Hungary’s presidency, which was held in Budapest to debate industrial strategy. Nor was there a commissioner in attendance.
A more serious jab meant to deflate Orbán’s hopes is the boycott of what should be a magnificent occasion for the nation holding the president to present itself to the world.
A diplomat made a jest, saying that if Borrell arranges a counter-meeting, their nation will “very unfortunately” be unable to attend Orban’s gathering.
Several EU nations, including France and Germany, have already participated in informal discussions on the plan. The strategy will be presented to the 27 permanent representatives of the EU on Wednesday by Borrell’s team.
As GreatGameInternational reported earlier, this move is part of a strategy to punish Hungary for trying to stop the war.
