Orbán quietly sidesteps his last EU summit after years of envisioning major battles at each one

Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, will not attend the informal European Council meeting in Cyprus following his election loss, marking a significant departure from his long tenure. His absence is unprecedented and raises questions about his legacy and the future of Hungary's role in the EU. Orbán's decision is attributed to his focus on power transition tasks, and he is expected to avoid questions regarding controversial leaked conversations. The meeting will proceed without the customary farewell gestures typically extended to outgoing leaders, highlighting the strained relations between Orbán and other EU leaders.