Hungarian and French presidents to meet in Paris to discuss Hungary's EU presidency and Ukraine

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will travel to Paris on Wednesday, 26 June to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.

According to Europe 1, Macron and Orbán's meeting will take place before the EU leaders' summit, which will determine the new leadership of the European Union.

The Hungarian prime minister will also present to Macron the broad outlines of Hungary's presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will begin on 1 July.

The French president's entourage said the visit is "an opportunity to prepare for the Council of the EU and Hungary's upcoming rotating presidency".

The French president is expected to discuss support for Ukraine and the European defence industry.

Earlier, reports said that Hungary's six-month presidency of the EU Council would focus on fighting illegal migration and integrating the Western Balkans into the EU, hardly focusing on climate issues.

In late December, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that the Hungarian presidency at the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2024 would focus more on peacekeeping and that Orbán's goal was to "occupy Brussels".