Hungarian Presidency Faces EC Boycott Following Orban-Putin Meeting

No European Commissioners will attend the informal meetings scheduled in Hungary as part of the EU Presidency. This decision was confirmed by European Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer on the social platform "X."

Mamer noted that, due to recent developments surrounding the start of the Hungarian Presidency, President Ursula von der Leyen has determined that the European Commission will only be represented at a senior level during the informal Council meetings. Additionally, the planned visit of the College of Commissioners to Budapest has been canceled, having previously been postponed from July to September.

Diplomats informed AFP that the boycott serves as a condemnation of Hungary, primarily in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to Moscow and his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following Russia's aggression in Ukraine, the European Union has refrained from engaging with the Kremlin.

Hungary began its rotating presidency on July 1 for a term of six months.