COPENHAGEN: Denmark’s foreign minister said on Thursday that the country will boycott informal government meetings associated with Hungary’s EU presidency this month.
This decision serves as a protest against Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s recent visit to Russia and talks with President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding a potential peace agreement for Ukraine.
Orban’s actions have sparked criticism from several EU leaders who cautioned against appeasing Moscow, emphasizing that Orban’s stance does not represent the collective position of the 27-nation bloc.
Reacting to the Orban’s visits, the European Parliament passed a resolution on Wednesday condemning Hungary’s engagement with Russia. The resolution asserts that such actions should lead to consequences for Hungary within the EU framework.
Last week, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland also opted to send only civil servants to the upcoming meetings linked to Hungary’s presidency.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen conveyed the government’s stance in a written statement to the Danish parliament’s European Affairs Committee, emphasizing the need to clearly distance Denmark from Hungary’s approach to Ukraine during the initial weeks of its EU presidency.
