Top EU officials will boycott informal meetings hosted by Hungary while the country has the EU’s rotating presidency, after Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban held a series of meetings with foreign leaders that angered European partners, the European Commission said on Monday.
The unusual decision to have the European Commission president and other top officials boycott the meetings was made "in light of recent developments marking the start of the Hungarian (EU) presidency", commission spokesperson Eric Mamer said.
Hungary took over the rotating role on July 1st, and since then Mr Orban has visited Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, China and the United States on a world tour he has touted as a "peace mission" aimed at brokering an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
His government is friendly with Russia and has gone against the policy of most EU countries in supporting Ukraine.
The decision by the European Commission applies to informal meetings hosted by Hungary.
Senior civil servants will attend instead of top officials like the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen.
