Hungary, which presides over the Council of the EU, plans to hold a summit of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Budapest on August 28-29. However, the EU’s ministers, with the exception of Hungary, plan to disrupt the summit by organizing their own meeting simultaneously.
After Orbán blocked aid to Ukraine and had meetings with Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, many EU foreign ministers are looking for a way to avoid another Orbán propaganda show. It is reported that EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell will convene ministers for a “formal” foreign affairs council at the same time as Orban’s summit.
“If an official council on foreign affairs, organized by a high representative, takes place on the same day, the ministers will not be able to go to Budapest,” the source told Politico.
Another source noted that by boycotting the meeting in Budapest, other foreign ministers want to “send a clear signal that Hungary is not speaking on behalf of the EU.” This plan has been informally discussed with several EU countries, including France and Germany.