Hungarian FM Szijjártó to skip meeting of EU foreign ministers

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó will not attend next week’s meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, according to Euronews, which cited diplomatic sources.

The Foreign Affairs Council session is a formal gathering where member states are typically represented at the highest political level, usually by their foreign ministers. While governments can send lower-level officials, most choose ministerial representation.

Szijjártó’s absence is therefore notable, particularly given his traditionally active role in EU diplomacy.

Rare absence amid government transition period

According to Euronews, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry did not respond to media inquiries regarding the minister’s participation.

The decision comes at a politically sensitive moment, following Hungary’s recent change of government and ongoing institutional transition after the election defeat of Viktor Orbán’s administration.

In some cases, Szijjártó has previously been substituted when travelling abroad or overlapping with other official meetings, but full absence from a scheduled EU Foreign Affairs Council is less common.

Increasing withdrawal from public view

Euronews reports that Szijjártó has largely disappeared from public communications in recent weeks, including social media platforms where he had previously been highly active.

As Daily News Hungary reported earlier today, Viktor Orbán himself is also expected to skip a separate upcoming EU summit, fuelling speculation about how Hungary’s outgoing leadership is managing the transition period.

The Foreign Ministry has previously said that senior officials are currently focused on administrative handover tasks related to the formation of the new government.

Background: tensions, leaks and scrutiny

Szijjártó has been under increased international scrutiny in recent months due to his close working relationship with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Hungary’s positioning on EU sanctions policy.

Leaked recordings and transcripts previously published by international media suggested contacts between Hungarian and Russian officials during sensitive EU decision-making periods, including discussions linked to sanctions and high-level EU summits.

More recently, newer allegations surfaced during the election campaign regarding the handling of sensitive documents and internal ministry procedures. The Foreign Ministry has denied wrongdoing, stating that only paper copies of electronic files were destroyed and that no data was lost.

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