Orbán will not attend the EU summit, where officials had intended to question him about his ties to Russia

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is preparing to step down, will not attend the informal European Council meeting scheduled for April 23–24 in Cyprus. 

This was reported by Politico.

At the meeting, EU leaders plan to discuss critical issues: the escalating crisis in the Middle East and the parameters of the EU’s next seven-year budget. Since Orbán is nearing the end of his term, his interests at the summit will likely be represented by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, as permitted by Council regulations.

Orbán will retain his powers until May 2026, when his successor, Péter Magyar, will officially take office. The absence of the incumbent prime minister at such an important event indicates the de facto winding down of his active foreign policy activities within the EU ahead of the change of government in Budapest.

This political transition in Hungary coincides with the onset of a systemic recession in Russia in April 2026. The change of leadership in Hungary could significantly impact the framework of support for Ukraine and the internal unity of the EU, as Péter Magyar represents a different political direction compared to Orbán’s long-standing course.

So far, the Hungarian government has not officially commented on the reasons for declining to attend the meeting. The transfer of power in Hungary remains one of the main political topics of the spring, as it could unblock a number of EU initiatives that were previously vetoed by Budapest.

At the EU summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen planned to raise the issue of Orbán’s ties with Moscow.

As a reminder, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán acknowledged the defeat of his Fidesz party in his first public address following the parliamentary elections.