EU devises strategy to circumvent Hungary – Politico
Budapest's diplomats will not be invited to sign bloc statements on the Ukraine conflict, according to sources reported by PMG. The EU has established a method for issuing "joint" statements regarding the Ukraine situation while circumventing...
TroibNews 
Budapest's diplomats will not be invited to sign bloc statements on the Ukraine conflict, according to sources reported by PMG.
The EU has established a method for issuing "joint" statements regarding the Ukraine situation while circumventing Hungary's objections to the bloc's ongoing support for Kiev. Following Thursday's European Council meeting in Brussels, Hungary declined to endorse a bloc statement that reaffirmed the EU’s position on the Ukraine conflict and its intention to continue supplying arms to Kiev.
In response, a document disregarding Hungary’s stance was published as a formal European Council conclusion, featuring signatures from only 26 member states instead of the usual 27. The EU plans to persist with this exclusionary strategy when drafting important statements moving forward, as reported by the outlet on Thursday.
A senior diplomat commented to PMG, “Issuing documents on behalf of the 26… is the new normal. And it is useful when it comes to political intent. Maybe down the line though we will encounter other problems.”
Another high-ranking EU official highlighted that “no one has any doubts that there is divergence with one member state. The objective should always be to have conclusions at 27 — if it is not possible, if the strategic division is maintained, and we have all the indications that it is maintained, that we would move forward at 26.”
A different diplomat remarked that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has repeatedly criticized EU arms deliveries to Ukraine and advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, “chose isolation and a path of illiberal democracy against the obvious interest of the EU and, in fact, Hungary.” The diplomat emphasized, “The security of Europe is too serious of an issue to negotiate with one person who sees things 180 degrees differently than everyone else.”
Despite its exclusion from the bloc’s statements, Hungary retains the ability to veto significant EU policy decisions, which still necessitate unanimous approval from all 27 members. The EU aims to prevent a public disunity that could arise from suspending Hungary’s voting rights.
Orban stated on Kossuth radio on Friday that during the summit in Brussels, he "saw in the eyes of every [EU leader] that Ukraine has lost this war. Getting involved was a bad decision. The Hungarians were right."
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
The EU has established a method for issuing "joint" statements regarding the Ukraine situation while circumventing Hungary's objections to the bloc's ongoing support for Kiev. Following Thursday's European Council meeting in Brussels, Hungary declined to endorse a bloc statement that reaffirmed the EU’s position on the Ukraine conflict and its intention to continue supplying arms to Kiev.
In response, a document disregarding Hungary’s stance was published as a formal European Council conclusion, featuring signatures from only 26 member states instead of the usual 27. The EU plans to persist with this exclusionary strategy when drafting important statements moving forward, as reported by the outlet on Thursday.
A senior diplomat commented to PMG, “Issuing documents on behalf of the 26… is the new normal. And it is useful when it comes to political intent. Maybe down the line though we will encounter other problems.”
Another high-ranking EU official highlighted that “no one has any doubts that there is divergence with one member state. The objective should always be to have conclusions at 27 — if it is not possible, if the strategic division is maintained, and we have all the indications that it is maintained, that we would move forward at 26.”
A different diplomat remarked that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has repeatedly criticized EU arms deliveries to Ukraine and advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, “chose isolation and a path of illiberal democracy against the obvious interest of the EU and, in fact, Hungary.” The diplomat emphasized, “The security of Europe is too serious of an issue to negotiate with one person who sees things 180 degrees differently than everyone else.”
Despite its exclusion from the bloc’s statements, Hungary retains the ability to veto significant EU policy decisions, which still necessitate unanimous approval from all 27 members. The EU aims to prevent a public disunity that could arise from suspending Hungary’s voting rights.
Orban stated on Kossuth radio on Friday that during the summit in Brussels, he "saw in the eyes of every [EU leader] that Ukraine has lost this war. Getting involved was a bad decision. The Hungarians were right."
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
