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[Global Times special correspondent in Hungary Li Zhen, Global Times special correspondent Li Ai] "The EU is divided on the issue of punishing Hungary." Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported with this title that at the EU member state foreign ministers' meeting held in Brussels on the 22nd local time, participants argued for several hours on whether to change the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers and defense ministers originally scheduled to be held in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, at the end of August to Brussels to punish Hungary's "going it alone" in diplomacy.

The one who proposed to change the venue was Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. According to the report, after nearly 10 hours of discussion, "the Spaniard exhausted himself that night and decided that he could not get all countries to agree." In the end, Borrell used his authority to give an answer: Hungary must be punished, so the meeting will be moved to Brussels. This not only goes against Hungary's wishes, but is also opposed by about 10 member states, including major EU countries. According to the Associated Press on the 23rd, Borrell explained the reason for his decision after the meeting: "Hungary should bear the consequences of its actions. We must send a signal, even if it is only a symbolic signal."

According to the British newspaper The Guardian, while regular EU meetings are held in Brussels or Luxembourg, each EU rotating presidency organizes informal ministerial meetings in its own country. Diplomats say informal meetings facilitate a broader dialogue. The host country has the opportunity to showcase its country, set the agenda and highlight issues of concern to it.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said that at the meeting on the 22nd, except for Slovakia which remained silent, other participating countries criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Orban for visiting Russia and other countries and his remarks that the EU promoted the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. But on the issue of whether and how to punish Hungary, "unity was broken". Poland, the three Baltic countries and Nordic countries said they would boycott the meeting in Budapest, while Hungary's neighbors such as Slovakia and Croatia had no intention of punishing Hungary, while Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands opposed changing the meeting venue.

At the meeting on the 22nd, participants also discussed a third option, namely, to hold an informal meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers in Ukraine. Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó used his veto to block it. Szijjártó also launched a counterattack, complaining that Kiev unilaterally terminated the transportation of Russian oil through the "Druzhba Pipeline". Hungarian and Slovak refineries rely on this pipeline to obtain oil, and the two countries have facilitated the EU to make an exception in the sanctions against Russia. In this way, the relationship between Kiev and Budapest has become further strained.

On July 22, 2024, local time, the EU member states' foreign ministers' meeting was held in Brussels, Belgium. The picture shows Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó arriving at the meeting. (Visual China)

Regarding the EU's punishment, the Hungarian National Daily reported that Szijjártó responded after the EU foreign ministers' meeting on the 22nd, saying that the EU had launched a "coordinated attack full of lies and disregard for facts" against Hungary, and that the discussion on changing the venue of the meeting at the end of August was "completely the behavior of kindergarten children." Szijjártó also said that if the meeting is finally decided to be held in Brussels, Hungary is also willing to participate. According to reports, Kovacs, the Hungarian government's spokesman for international affairs and Secretary of State for International Exchanges and Relations, posted on social media later on the 22nd that Szijjártó said at the EU foreign ministers' meeting that Hungary "faced hysterical criticism from radical warmongers for its peace mission."

Hungarian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mate Pakzola told the Hungarian National Daily on the 23rd that whether the informal meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers should be held in Budapest in August is "a question that has nothing to do with us." He said that 13 EU member states, including Germany and France, were in favor of holding the meeting in Budapest, 5 member states were against it, and 8 member states said it was okay, "and Hungary also thought it was okay."

The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the 22nd saying that regarding Orban's series of visits, Slovakia does not support criticism of Hungary's peace initiatives and opposes any idea of ​​boycotting Hungary's presidency of the European Union. Slovak President Pellegrini said recently that Slovakia will not join the ranks of boycotting Hungary's presidency of the European Union because he believes that an independent country should not be punished for seeking dialogue.

Slovak Prime Minister Fico posted a video message on social media on the 22nd, saying that Slovakia's representatives in EU institutions will not attack Hungary in any form or boycott Hungary's presidency of the EU. Fico said: "I am wondering, if I want to visit abroad, do I also need permission from the EU?"