Hungary urges EU to avoid tariff war, pushing for talks with US and China

BUDAPEST, Hungary

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Monday called on the EU to take concrete steps to prevent a global tariff war and instead launch meaningful trade negotiations with both the US and China, as President Donald Trump refuses to back down from tariffs despite growing fears of a global recession.​​​​​​

In a statement shared on social media, Szijjarto said Hungary’s economy is reliant on exports.

"Exports play a major role in Hungary’s economy. Thanks to the expertise and dedication of Hungarian workers, our export performance far exceeds what one would expect based on our population size. So it’s clear that our interest is negotiations over a tariff war," he said.

"We expect the European Commission to resolve tensions with both the United States and China through negotiations."

He added that Hungary just doesn't "expect" talks but "serious proposals and results."

The 27-nation bloc faces 25% import tariffs on steel and aluminum and cars and "reciprocal" tariffs of 20% for almost all other goods under Trump's aggressive trade policy.