In response to the uncoordinated trip to Moscow by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has announced a boycott of a ministerial meeting in Budapest. As a “symbolic signal” to Orban, he is calling the informal meeting of foreign and defense ministers in Brussels at the end of August, Borrell announced on Monday. He made this decision alone after a controversial and lengthy debate among EU foreign ministers, the Spaniard stressed.
Borrell was reacting to Orban’s self-proclaimed “peace mission” in the Ukraine war. The right-wing populist visited Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump shortly after the start of Hungary’s EU Council Presidency on July 1.
According to Borrell, 25 foreign ministers strongly condemned Orban’s behavior. The Hungarian received support only from Slovakia. But Borrell also received sharp criticism for his uncoordinated move to cancel the Budapest meeting.
“Spain does not support boycotts in the European Union,” said Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel called the idea “nonsense.” He would rather go to Budapest and tell the Hungarians what he thinks to their faces, Bettel stressed. Germany, France and the Netherlands are also reportedly opposed to Borrell’s proposal.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto commented on the boycott on Facebook. “What a fantastic counterattack they have come up with…” he said, adding: “I don’t want to hurt anyone, but this is like kindergarten.”
In Brussels, it cannot be ruled out that Borrell’s boycott action will ultimately backfire: numerous ministers could now stay away from the Brussels meeting from 28 to 30 August in protest, it was said.
