Conversations with Putin and Xi - Despite disagreement: EU chief diplomat blocks meeting in Hungary
EU-Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell announced the boycott of an upcoming foreign minister meeting in Budapest planned by Hungary in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's trips to Moscow and Beijing. Instead, Borrell announced he would invite participants to a meeting in Brussels after the summer break.
Borrell made this decision at an EU foreign minister meeting in Brussels, against the expressed wishes of countries like Germany, Spain, and Luxembourg. The consequences of this were unclear initially. Borrell stated he had tried to achieve unity among EU states regarding the course of action but unfortunately, this was not possible.
During the foreign minister meeting in Brussels, several participants spoke out against Borrell's proposal for a boycott of the meeting that Hungary was planning to organize at the end of August in Budapest. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel called it foolish and advocated for traveling to Budapest to express his opinion clearly to the Hungarian government. Spain and Slovenia also expressed their opposition to Borrell's proposal.
Behind the scenes, according to diplomatic sources, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and representatives from countries like France and Italy expressed similar views. On the other hand, countries from Northeastern Europe, such as Poland, Litauen, and Sweden, had already announced earlier that they would not send ministers or ministers to meetings in Hungary as a reaction to Orban's solo actions.
A compromise proposal was suggested by Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Monday, according to diplomatic sources, for Hungary to organize the foreign minister meeting in the Ukraine, which is under Russian attack. However, this proposal failed because Hungary would have had to agree to it.
Discussions have been ongoing
There have been discussions for days about possible reactions from the EU regarding Orban's meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, China's State and Party Chief Xi Jinping, and former US President Donald Trump. These meetings are particularly alarming because Hungary currently holds the rotating EU presidency. It is feared that abroad, the impression will be created that Orban is speaking on behalf of the European Union. Criticism focuses primarily on the trip to Putin, which is seen as an act of appeasement.
Orban speaks of a "peace mission"
Borrell called Orban's actions at the foreign minister meeting "totally unacceptable" and reminded the Union and its members of the principle of loyal cooperation enshrined in the EU treaties, which calls for mutual support. Borrell also referenced comments made by Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Szijjarto recently gave a speech in the UN Security Council, creating the impression that the EU was fueling the war in Ukraine through its politics and arms deliveries.
Orban speaks of a "peace mission." The Hungarian has long advocated for a political course that could lead the EU and NATO to expand the war beyond Ukraine. However, from the Ukrainian perspective, negotiations are meaningless as long as Russia shows no signs of withdrawing from the occupied territories.
Hungarian minister lets the muscles play
In a letter to EU Council President Charles Michel, Orban wrote after his trips that the EU should now take the initiative and conduct talks with China about a possible large peace conference. Simultaneously, diplomatic communication with Russia, which was suspended due to the Ukraine conflict, should be resumed.
German Foreign Minister Baerbock did not yield to these demands at the Foreign Ministers meeting. She criticized the trips as "Ego-Trips" that had caused irritations among many actors on the world stage.
Szijjarto published a photo of himself at the Foreign Ministers meeting, showing him in a tight T-shirt and with a toned upper body. He wrote, he was traveling to Brussels with a politically bulletproof vest and was prepared for a political "firefight." He accused his colleagues of being frustrated over their own Ukraine policy. Moreover, he pointed out that there had been numerous other talks since Orban's "Peace Mission" - for instance, between the US Defense Ministers and Russia's, as well as between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump.
Information on the EU meeting
- Despite opposing views from countries like Germany, Spain, and Luxembourg, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell announced the boycott of a foreign minister meeting in Budapest planned by Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban due to his travels to Moscow and Beijing.
- At the same EU foreign minister meeting in Brussels, Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister, advocated for attending the Budapest meeting to express his opinion directly to the Hungarian government, contradicting Borrell's boycott decision.
- Annalena Baerbock, Germany's Foreign Minister, and representatives from France and Italy shared similar views in private discussions during the Brussels meeting.
- Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden had previously announced their decision to not send ministers to meetings in Hungary due to Orban's solo actions.
- Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski proposed a compromise for Hungary to organize the foreign minister meeting in Ukraine, but this idea failed due to Hungary's unwillingness to agree.
- Discussions have been ongoing regarding potential reactions from the EU regarding Orban's meetings with Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Donald Trump, particularly alarming as Hungary currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
- Borrell viewed Orban's actions at the meeting as "totally unacceptable" and reminded the Union and its members of the principle of loyal cooperation enshrined in EU treaties.
- Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto gave a speech in the UN Security Council, creating the impression that the EU was fueling the war in Ukraine through its politics and arms deliveries.
- Szijjarto published a photo of himself at the Foreign Ministers meeting, showcasing a toned upper body and writing that he was prepared for a political "firefight" against his colleagues.
- In response to Orban's "Peace Mission," Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks, as well as US Defense Ministers and Russia's.
- At the conclusion of the EU foreign minister meeting, information on the proposed boycott of the Budapest meeting and potential future diplomatic strategies were shared among participating countries.
