News Desk

The EU’s upcoming foreign and defense ministers’ meeting will be moved from Budapest to Brussels, as announced by its top diplomat. This decision follows tensions between the union and Hungary over its Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s comments on the ongoing war in Ukraine, where he accused the EU of having a “pro-war policy”.

EU diplomat Josep Borrell responded, emphasizing the need to signal the consequences for Orbán’s stance. Borrell stated that all member states, except Hungary, had similarly criticized Orbán’s remarks, asserting that the EU does not have a pro-war policy, while also highlighting the fact that the real aggressor is Putin.

The informal meetings, originally set for August 28-30 in Budapest, were moved due to Hungary’s current EU presidency. This change follows a letter from European Council President Charles Michel, refuting Orbán’s claims and underscoring Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Orbán’s recent visits to Putin, Xi Jinping, and Donald Trump have further strained relations with the EU.