Brussels is unable to defend the bloc's interests in economic disputes with the US, the Hungarian prime minister has claimed

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized EU leaders for their passive approach to trade negotiations with the US, likening them to "cowardly rabbits." The scathing assessment comes amid a threat of US tariffs and an escalating trade row between Brussels and Washington.

Speaking at a press conference in Budapest on Wednesday alongside Alice Weidel of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Orban expressed doubt about the ability of the current leadership in Brussels to effectively defend the bloc's interests in economic disputes with Washington.

"The problem is that leaders of the European Union and the EU institutions are sitting like cowardly rabbits," said Orban, adding that existing EU institutions "cannot be taken seriously" and are unable to put forward "serious offers" in trade negotiations with Washington. He went on to suggest that the EU's two largest economies, Germany and France, should take the initiative.

"There's no mercy for the weak," warned Orban, urging the EU to proactively present its own proposals to Washington regarding import tariffs.

US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that he would impose 25% duties on all steel and aluminum brought into the US, without exceptions or exemptions, effective next month. According to the latest data, EU steel exports to the US have averaged around 3 billion ($3.10 billion) a year over the past decade.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Tuesday that the tariffs would not go unanswered," and would "trigger firm and proportionate countermeasures" from the bloc.

Additionally, Trump has proposed implementing "reciprocal tariffs" that would match the duties that other countries impose on American exports. In December, Trump warned Brussels that if it did not increase its purchases of American oil and gas, he would impose additional levies on goods from the EU.

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The trade row between Washington and Brussels began in 2018 when Trump imposed tariffs on European steel and aluminum over national security concerns, prompting retaliation from the EU. The two sides exchanged tariffs on goods worth over $10 billion. In 2021, the EU and US agreed on the removal of the latter's tariffs on aluminum and steel for specific quantities of aluminum and steel that were entirely manufactured within the EU, while the two sides pursued a longer-term trade agreement.