Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Borrell said 25 member states had criticized Hungary's "peace mission", referring to talks Prime Minister Viktor Orbán earlier held with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, and China. He added that there was "quite strong division" over the venue for the informal meeting scheduled to take place in Budapest at the end of August and a decision had been taken to move it to Brussels.
"We have to send a signal, even if it is a symbolic signal, that being against the foreign policy of the European Union, and disqualifying the policy of the European Union as the party of war has to have some consequences," Borrell said, referring to remarks by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó at the United Nations Security Council.
He added that the EU Treaties required "loyal cooperation and implementation of the [EU's] common positions on foreign policy".
Earlier Monday, Szijjártó called the efforts to have the informal Foreign Affairs Council meeting moved from Budapest "childish", but said Hungary was also willing to attend if the meeting was held in Brussels. He noted that Slovakia had been the only member state at the foreign ministers' meeting on Monday that hadn't objected to Hungary's peace mission.
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