EU to boycott Hungary’s foreign affairs summit

European Union foreign affairs ministers are set to snub Hungary by organizing their own foreign affairs summit in August instead of traveling to Budapest for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s event.

Hungary, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, plans to host a foreign affairs summit in Budapest on August 28-29 — a prime opportunity for Orbán to try to shape the bloc’s foreign policy agenda and for his Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjártó to stand in the limelight.

But after Orbán obstructed aid for Ukraine and his self-styled peace visits to Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, which he didn’t coordinate with the EU’s 26 other national leaders, many foreign ministers have been hunting for a way to avoid becoming props in what they believe would be another Orbán propaganda show.

Enter Josep Borrell. The EU’s foreign policy chief will summon the ministers to a “formal” foreign affairs council at the same time as Orbán’s summit, according to three EU diplomats with direct knowledge of the plan and who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the move.

It comes after Hungary’s envoy to the EU, Bálint Ódor, was harshly criticized by his colleagues at a meeting earlier this month, with Slovakia the only country not taking the floor. By boycotting its foreign affairs summit, the ministers hope to limit Hungary’s trolling.

“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 added that by boycotting the Budapest meeting, the other foreign ministers wanted to “send a clear signal that Hungary does not speak for the EU.”

Other EU countries’ ministers have been willing to show Hungary the cold shoulder. | Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

Even before the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions between the EU and Hungary had been growing for years. Under Orbán, the country has been backsliding on democratic norms and the rule of law, as well as disrupting the EU’s smooth functioning by blocking the passage of laws or funding to gain concessions in unrelated areas.

Other EU countries’ ministers have been willing to show Hungary the cold shoulder. At the first meeting of Hungary’s presidency, hosted in Budapest to discuss industrial policy, only seven ministers from other countries showed up. No commissioner attended, either.

Boycotting what is supposed to be a stellar event for the country that holds the presidency to showcase itself on the world stage is an even bigger snub, intended to take the wind out of Orbán’s sails.

One diplomat joked that “very unfortunately” their country won’t be able to attend Orban’s event if Borrell organizes a counter-meeting.

The plan has already been discussed informally with several EU countries, including France and Germany. On Wednesday, Borrell’s team will present the plan to the EU’s 27 permanent representatives.