The decision to move an EU summit from Budapest to Brussels could leave tensions within the union at boiling point.
The end of August sees foreign affairs ministers gather for the political version of a fireside chat that was due to take place in the Hungarian capital on Thursday.
Budapest was the planned location of the meeting due to the country currently holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union.
But the behaviour of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who seems to increasingly oppose the views of the majority of countries on issues such as LGBT rights, free movement and action against Russia as led to the unprecedented step being taken.
Orban has framed himself as a middleman throughout the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, his close relationship with Moscow providing a diplomatic channel within which the EU can communicate and negotiate with the Kremlin.
But Orban has increasingly become a thorn in the side of the EU as it attempts to deal with war in Europe, regularly attempting to obstruct aid to Ukraine and the delivery of sanctions against Moscow.
Director at Political Capital Péter Krekó accused Hungary of “troll diplomacy” claiming that Orban seeks to “provoke more anger from EU leaders.”
Krekó added: “The air is really freezing around Hungary (…), we definitely see that the EU’s behaviour towards Hungary is changing.”
Orbán’s diplomatic advisor, meanwhile, dismissed the boycotts as “childish and absurd” and insisted that his country would stick to their current policy lines.
But Orban has increasingly become a thorn in the side of the EU as it attempts to deal with war in Europe, regularly attempting to obstruct aid to Ukraine and the delivery of sanctions against Moscow.
Director at Political Capital Péter Krekó accused Hungary of “troll diplomacy” claiming that Orban seeks to “provoke more anger from EU leaders.”
Krekó added: “The air is really freezing around Hungary (…), we definitely see that the EU’s behaviour towards Hungary is changing.”
Orbán’s diplomatic advisor, meanwhile, dismissed the boycotts as “childish and absurd” and insisted that his country would stick to their current policy lines.
Additionally, the west is facing difficulties in unlocking $50 billion of Russian assets to be used to aid Ukraine, with the issue of a potential veto by Hungary one of the factors slowing down the release.
On what drives Orban Krekó said: “While Orbán is clearly not stupid, what he does right now with Russia and China totally alienates him from the European mainstream.
“Orbán first finally believes that Russia will win the war – and I think this is a real belief on the governmental side.
“In the long term, he thinks that the West is over and that the EU and NATO are the projects of yesterday rather than of tomorrow.
It is believed by many experts that a possible second Donald Trump presidency and instability in France and Germany emboldens Orban to act increasingly hostile towards the EU.
Marija Golubeva, an analyst at the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), said: “The weakness of both Germany and France politically is very much one of the reasons why there is so much space for Orbán to fill with his policies.”
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