The introduction of increased import duties on European Union goods by the US is a consequence of the wrong policy of the EU leadership and the incompetence of the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations of Hungary, Péter Szijjártó, commenting on the decision of US President Donald Trump to impose 30% customs tariffs on European products entering the US market from August 1.
„In recent years, this incompetence has caused enormous damage to Europe, and now another failure: Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission in Brussels failed to agree with the US administration on a favorable tariff agreement, and the European economy, European companies and Europeans will again suffer from the consequences“, the head of the Foreign Ministry wrote on Facebook (banned in Russia, owned by the Meta corporation, recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation).
He recalled that the Hungarian government had from the very beginning offered to reduce tariffs on American goods imported into Europe in order to reach a compromise with Trump administration. “Ursula von der Leyen and the Brussels Commission did not do this and Europeans were once again at a disadvantage“, Szijjártó noted.
According to him, this is yet another proof that the EU leadership must be changed. “It is time for a change in Brussels: patriots must replace people like von der Leyen“, Szijjártó said, referring to the union of right-wing conservative parties in EU countries “Patriots of Europe“ and the faction of the same name in the European Parliament.