Hungarian caretaker prime minister Viktor Orbán will not attend the informal meeting of the European Council in Cyprus next week, according to POLITICO Brussels, citing an unnamed EU official.
The Belgium-based outlet also reported that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is likely to represent Orbán and Hungary at the two-day gathering, scheduled for 23–24 April. Fico already did so in October 2025, when Orbán delivered a speech on the national holiday commemorating the Revolution of 1956.
If the report is accurate, Orbán will miss his final Council meeting after participating in the EU’s top decision-making body since 2010. The 16-year rule of Fidesz–KDNP in Hungary ended on 12 April, after the opposition Tisza Party secured a landslide victory, winning a constitutional supermajority in the 199-seat parliament.
Orbán’s most recent—and now definitively last—Council summit was a memorable and symbolic one, held on 19 March. During the meeting, the Hungarian prime minister used his veto power for the final time to block a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, originally agreed at the December 2025 summit, where Orbán negotiated an opt-out from the joint borrowing alongside Slovakia and Czechia. He argued that he would not allow the decision until Kyiv resumes the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, halted since 27 January.
During his 16 years in power, Orbán became the most frequent user of the veto in the history of the European Union by a wide margin. He increasingly became a point of friction for Brussels and the majority of member states following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, using Hungary’s leverage to delay sanctions on Moscow—particularly those affecting energy—opting out of financial support for Kyiv, and advocating for peace talks and dialogue with Russia. Many saw him as a disruptor of the system, a ‘fifth column of Russia’; others as a protector of national sovereignty. Orbán leaves a legacy in the Council that will be remembered for a long time.
Two days after Orbán vetoed the loan, a politically turbulent period began for him and his Fidesz–KDNP governing alliance, which have significantly impacted the election outcome. On 21 March, The Washington Post accused Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó of leaking confidential EU information and coordinating positions in EU decision-making with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Subsequently, a consortium of European outlets published audio recordings of Szijjártó’s phone calls with Lavrov, reportedly provided by unnamed European intelligence services, which supported the allegations. Bloomberg also leaked a transcript of an October 2025 call between Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the Hungarian leader allegedly said he was at Putin’s ‘service’ in ‘any matter where I can be of assistance’.
‘Two days after Orbán vetoed the loan, a politically turbulent period began…which have significantly impacted the election outcome’
These developments were amplified by opposition leader Péter Magyar, who framed the election as a choice between Europe and Russia, campaigning on a more pro-EU platform. EU leaders demanded explanations from Orbán regarding the Russia-related leaks, with several of Ukraine’s closest allies sharply criticizing Hungary, describing Szijjártó’s conduct as ‘shocking’ and ‘disgraceful’. The Hungarian government, while not disputing the authenticity of the leaks, rejected any wrongdoing, framing the interactions as standard diplomatic engagement.
Most of the leaders Orbán was expected to meet in Cyprus have since expressed support for and congratulated prime minister-elect Péter Magyar on his electoral victory, which—combined with already strained relations—would have made the meeting even more bitter for the outgoing prime minister.
Meanwhile, the EU leadership, led by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has already begun engaging with the incoming government on unblocking frozen EU funds, of which €17 billion could be lost if not secured by the 31 August deadline. According to media reports, von der Leyen also intensified her push for scrapping the national veto in EU foreign policy decision-making immediately after Orbán’s electoral defeat.
The Hungarian government did not respond to POLITICO’s request for comment regarding the meeting.
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