EU Foreign Policy Chief Moves Ministers' Meeting From Budapest to Brussels

Hungary's foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, expressed indifference over the EU's decision to relocate a ministerial meeting from Budapest to Brussels. This move by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's uncoordinated peace talks with Russia and U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Hungary's foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, has expressed indifference towards the European Union's decision to shift a ministers' meeting from Budapest to Brussels. This move was seen as a disapproval of Hungary's initial usage of the EU presidency.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell decided on the location change after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban engaged in a self-styled Ukraine peace mission, holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Orban's actions, not coordinated with the EU or Ukraine, came just days after Hungary commenced its rotation in the EU presidency.

Borrell emphasized sending a symbolic signal to Hungary, as there was no consensus among EU members on attending the ministerial meeting in Budapest. He opted to relocate the meetings due to the majority wanting to respond to Orban's outreach to Russia, which is under EU sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies.)