European Union foreign ministers will evaluate how to respond to trips by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Russia and China and his country's positioning over the EU's role in Ukraine, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday, Reuters reports.
Hungary took over the six-month rotating presidency of the bloc in July and almost immediately went to Moscow and Beijing in what was described as a "peace mission" despite none of his EU partners being aware, or mandating him to do so.
"We will discuss what has happened and positions taken by the Hungarian government," Borrell said, describing them as "unacceptable".
Some member states would like the bloc to show a tougher stance on Budapest.
Among the ideas would be to boycott or downgrade the attendance of ministers at an informal meeting in Budapest at the end of August, although there is division among countries on its utility.
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said he would go to the informal meeting at the end of August saying it was important to keep the dialogue with Budapest.
"Ignoring or not choosing dialogue would be an error," he said.
Speaking in a social media post ahead of the meeting on Monday, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto criticised the bloc.
"For weeks now, the Brussels foreign bureaucracy and the leaders of some EU countries have been grinding their teeth over our peace mission, out of frustration/envy/exposure of their failed strategy," he said, adding the trips had opened the door to further diplomacy.
