Reuters. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday (July 22) that the next foreign and defence ministerial meetings will be held in Brussels rather than Budapest, due to Hungary's recent position on the war in Ukraine.
Speaking after a ministerial meeting in Brussels, Borrell said he had made the decision after a majority of ministers had spoken out over Hungary, which is holding the EU presidency, and wanted to impose "symbolic" consequences on Hungary after Prime Minister Viktor Orban travelled to Moscow without the backing of his EU allies.
"I understood that we have to send a signal, even if it is a symbolic signal, that being against the prime policy of the European Union and disqualifying the policy of the European Union as the party of war has to have some consequences," he said.
Borrell made it clear, however, that it was not a boycott.
"I refuse the word 'boycotting'," he said. "The informal meeting will take place, and Hungary will be sitting there."
