EU Council Presidential Office Visits Russia-China, Hungary Given 'Linging Card' By EU

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on July 8, 2024. Hungary has been serving as EU Council President since July 1. (X @PM_ViktorOrban-Screenshot)

JAKARTA - European Union (EU) countries gave a warning to Hungary following Prime Minister (PM) Viktor Orban's visit to Russia and Beijing.

Hungary is known to be the Presidential Office of the EU Council, one of which is to strengthen the EU's defense policy. Hungary held this position according to a six-month term until December 31, 2024.

"It has never happened before that the presidency received such a warning from all other parties," said a senior EU diplomat, quoted from Politico, Thursday, July 11.

He continued, the visit resulted in the confidence of EU countries in Hungary to launch. He saw that visiting Russia and China had absolutely no impact on the EU.

"Orban's actions do not benefit the EU or peace," he said.

A number of EU member states ambassadors warned of consequences if Hungarian PM returns to action such as visiting Russia and China shortly after the country took office of the EU Council's presidency on July 1.

"Changing the presidency or shortening the Hungarian term of office from six months as EU leader may be an option at one point, but now it is legally difficult to do because the presidential term is underway," the EU official said.

Another EU diplomat said the EU had actually given Hungary a "yellow card" at a meeting of the Standing Representative Committee on July 10.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is known to visit Moscow to discuss how to resolve the conflict in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 5.

Orban first traveled to Kiev to meet Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to smooth out his plans to reconcile the war on July 2.

After that, Orban flew to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to exchange views on the prospect of resolving the Ukraine crisis.