Orbán’s final EU summit: Cyprus informal meeting signals the end of an era

When EU leaders gather for an informal European Council meeting in Cyprus on 23-24 April, it will mark the last time Viktor Orbán attends as Hungary’s prime minister. The two-day retreat in Lefkosia and Agia Napa, hosted by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, comes just days after Péter Magyar’s landslide victory ended Orbán’s 16-year dominance in Budapest and is widely seen as the symbolic close of one of the most divisive chapters in recent EU history.

Following his landslide victory in the 12 April parliamentary elections, the Tisza leader publicly urged President Tamás Sulyok on 13 April to convene the new parliament “as quickly as possible” so that the government handover can take place by early May.

In a formal invitation letter sent on 14 April, European Council President António Costa outlined a packed agenda focused on the bloc’s most pressing challenges. Discussions will open over dinner on 23 April with an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Russia’s war of aggression. Leaders will then turn to the escalating conflict in Iran and the Middle East, covering de-escalation efforts, freedom of navigation, soaring fossil-fuel prices and their impact on European households and businesses, as well as the Union’s broader security readiness – including possible invocation of Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union.

On the morning of 24 April, the leaders will shift to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034), providing political guidance on financing ambitions, new own resources and the budget’s role in boosting EU competitiveness. A working lunch with key regional partners will follow to discuss shared Middle East challenges.

Costa’s letter makes no reference to Orbán’s departure, keeping the tone strictly institutional. Yet the gathering will be Orbán’s swan song after years of blocking or delaying key decisions on Ukraine aid, Russia sanctions, migration pacts and budget deals – often forcing the other 26 leaders into awkward “pull-asides” or off-budget workarounds.

A longstanding, if informal, tradition at the European Council is that a departing head of government or state sometimes receives a small personal honour or gift from the Council President as a gesture of courtesy when it is clear they will not return. Previous presidents have marked such occasions with a symbolic present or warm farewell words.

Whether Costa will follow suit this time remains unclear. No official announcement has been made, and diplomatic sources suggest the focus will remain firmly on substance rather than ceremony. Given the relief expressed across much of the EU after Magyar’s victory – and Orbán’s reputation as a repeated veto-wielding outlier – any public farewell gesture is expected to be low-key at best.

For Costa, the Cyprus meeting is also an early test of his ability to steer the European Council through turbulent times without the familiar friction caused by the Hungarian prime minister. The agenda’s emphasis on unity in the face of geopolitical shocks and long-term financial planning sends a clear message: the EU is already looking beyond the Orbán era.

In theory, Viktor Orbán could choose not to attend the informal European Council summit in Cyprus. In that case, Hungary’s President Tamás Sulyok could represent the country instead, or Orbán could entrust another European Council member, such as Slovakia’s Robert Fico, to represent Hungary.

Caption: Viktor Orbán at the 18 December European Council [Council Newsroom]