The EU said the damage Hungary has done in its 12 days of rule in the Council of the European Union

The actions of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán while the country heads the European Parliament have already caused great harm to European politics. Sebastian Fischer, spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, said this at a briefing on Friday, 11 July, DPA reports .

We are now in the twelfth day - and already a lot of damage has been done," Fischer said, commenting on Hungary's EU presidency.

Fischer noted that EU ambassadors made this clear to the Hungarian ambassador at the last meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives and demanded "to stop obstructive attempts and ... comply with EU loyalty requirements."

Fischer emphasised that Orbán cannot represent Europe in his "peacekeeping tours". And in Germany, the recent visits of the Hungarian head of government are perceived "with great surprise and scepticism".

The presidency of the EU Council is about being a neutral mediator between member states and trying to promote EU processes and EU decision-making in a way that achieves a positive outcome. Orbán is now doing the exact opposite," Fischer explained.

He added that the EU's position on Russia's war of conquest against Ukraine is clear and unambiguous.

There are decisions of the European Council of Heads of State and Government that Hungary supported and is obliged to implement, and we expect the Hungarian president to implement them. The position is that Russia must immediately stop the war against Ukraine, which violates international law, and that we, as the EU, stand on the side of Ukraine," the speaker pointed out.

As of 1 July, Hungary has taken over the EU for six months and will be in charge of organising the work of the EU Council. The EU emphasised that Orbán was not asked for peace missions, the politician has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU and acts within the framework of bilateral relations - Budapest and other countries.