Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has criticized the European Union for its failure to establish a constructive dialogue with former U.S. President Donald Trump on trade tariffs, The Guardian reports.
According to Szijjártó, the European Commission failed to adequately prepare for the tariffs imposed by the U.S. and engaged in ineffective negotiations. He also accused Brussels of blocking the EU’s proposed countermeasures.
The Hungarian foreign minister noted that Budapest had put forward a concrete proposal focused on lowering EU tariffs on car imports in an effort to build goodwill with Washington, but the European Commission ignored the plan.
Szijjártó emphasized that Hungary does not have the authority to conduct trade negotiations independently, as this falls under the jurisdiction of the European Commission. Nonetheless, he said discussions are ongoing to establish a broader framework for bilateral cooperation with the U.S., including economic elements.
He also pointed out that Budapest maintains good relations with the Trump administration.
