The Final Six Months of U.S. Aid for Ukraine
AtlanticJUL 14 2024
Report: EU to Snub Hungary's Foreign Affairs Summit
Above: Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, arrives for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 75th Anniversary Celebratory event at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium on July 9, 2024 in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Kent Nishimura/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
EU representatives will boycott a foreign affairs summit scheduled for Hungary next month — instead organizing their own version of the event — according to diplomatic sources who spoke to Politico.
Hungary, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, plans to host the foreign affairs summit in Budapest during August 28-29. However, one diplomat said they would snub the event to "send a clear signal that Hungary does not speak for the EU."
It comes after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made trips to Ukraine, Russia, and China in an effort to find peace in Ukraine, sparking criticism from a number of European officials.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
In recent weeks, Orbán has pursued his own pro-Putin policy without proper consultation with other EU officials. This move is intended to demonstrate to the Hungarian leader that EU leaders will not simply go along with another propaganda stunt.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's clear that without responsible leadership from external mediators, the war in Ukraine will continue to escalate and cause further devastation and bloodshed. If Europe wants peace, it should back these plans instead of ostracizing them.