Hungarian-U.S. Relations to Enter a “Golden Age” after Donald Trump’s Inauguration

With the inauguration of Donald Trump in January, Hungarian-American relations could enter a new dimension again after the current low point in the hostile relations of recent years, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó.

According to the ministry’s statement, the minister stressed at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) business forum on Wednesday that the world is currently living in an era of threats, with governments and businesses facing huge challenges.

He highlighted the economic hardship caused by the war in Ukraine, the coronavirus outbreak, and criticized the international response to the invasion, including the European Union’s failed strategy. The politician deplored the collapse of the previous model of economic growth based on a combination of advanced Western technology and cheap energy from the East, and that nothing has replaced it.

The minister pointed out that Europe now pays two to three times more for natural gas than the U.S. and five times as much for oil. “Sanctions have a dramatic effect. They have shot the European economy in the foot, in the stomach and finally in the head. The sanctions have hurt the European economy more than the Russian economy,” he underlined.

Minister Szijjártó believes that Donald Trump’s victory will lead to major geopolitical changes that will have a significant impact on U.S. relations with the EU and Hungary.

“We are very satisfied with the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, even if not many European governments share this view,” he said.

He described the two months until the U.S. presidential transition as extremely dangerous, saying that “those who advocate a failed pro-war strategy are not only not giving up, but are working to create a situation that would make peace difficult, if not impossible.”

The minister expressed the hope that after Trump’s inauguration, Hungarian-American relations could again enter a new dimension, a kind of “golden age” after the current low point. He said he had received promises to this effect from several Republican Party leaders. He pointed out that economic relations between the two countries have flourished even in the current rather hostile political climate, and that with the restoration of mutual respect, there could be a huge improvement.

Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter