European Commission boycotts Hungarian presidency over Orbán's trips to Moscow and Beijing

The European Commission has decided to boycott Hungary's six-month presidency of the EU Council in response to Viktor Orbán's controversial trips to Moscow and Beijing, widely seen as an affront to the bloc's political unity.

"In light of recent developments marking the start of the Hungarian Presidency, the President (Ursula von der Leyen) has decided that the European Commission will be represented at senior civil servant level only during informal meetings of the Council," the executive's chief spokesperson, Eric Mamer, announced on Monday evening.

"The College visit to the Presidency will not take place," he added, confirming that the major event that marks the start of each rotating presidency has been called off.

During his recent visit to Moscow, Orbán met with President Vladimir Putin, a man wanted for war crimes, to discuss the war in Ukraine and, in the premier's words, "start a dialogue on the shortest road to peace." Days later, Russian troops bombed a children's hospital in Kyiv.

In Beijing, Orbán praised the "Chinese peace plan" of President Xi Jinping, which the EU has dismissed for making a selective interpretation of international law and blurring the line between the aggressor and the aggressed. "China is the only world power that has been clearly committed to peace since the beginning," he said, defying Western concerns that Beijing is propping up Russia's war economy.

Budapest insists both trips, which Orbán advertised as chapters of a so-called "peace mission," were strictly done under bilateral diplomacy. But the timing of the international tour, the selection of countries and the use of the Hungarian presidency's official logo fuelled harsh accusations of abuse of power and disloyalty.

Separately, Orbán participated in an informal summit of the Organisation of Turkic States, which includes the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" that only Turkey recognises, prompting fresh condemnation.

Speculation about a coordinated boycott has been rife in Brussels since then, with one diplomat telling Euronews the plan was to "make Orbán less visible."

The Commission's decision, taken by President Ursula von der Leyen, confirms the rumours: Brussels will not engage at the highest level in the many events that Budapest plans to host until the end of the year.

Formal ministerial meetings, which happen in Brussels and Luxembourg, will not be affected as their organisation does not depend on the rotating presidency.

The traditional visit of the College of Commissioners to mark the beginning of a new rotating presidency will not go ahead at any time. Von der Leyen, however, might still attend the informal summit of EU leaders in Budapest scheduled for November.

Reacting to the news, János Bóka, Hungary's minister for EU Affairs, said the presidency remained "committed to sincere cooperation" to address "common challenges."

"The EU is an international organisation constituted by its member states. The European Commission is an institution of the EU," Bóka said on social media.

"The European Commission cannot cherry-pick institutions and member states it wants to cooperate with. Are all Commission decisions now based on political considerations?"

The boycott comes as a group of 63 MEPs, led by Estonia's Riho Terras, send a letter demanding Hungary be stripped of its voting rights under the Article 7 procedure as retaliation for Orbán's "abuses of power."

"This kind of behavior amounts to usurping the powers and prerogatives of the EU Member States in the field of foreign policy," the lawmakers write in the letter, addressed to Presidents Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel and Roberta Metsola.

"We call on you to take decisive action as soon as possible in order to limit further damage, not only to the credibility of the EU as a whole, but also regarding the current geopolitical situation," they go on. "Practice has shown that mere verbal condemnations of this situation have no effect."

Hungary's presidency began on 1 July and is set to last until 31 December.

This article has been updated with more information.