Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó declared on Monday that the government is committed to protecting the Hungarian economy from the consequences of what he called Europe’s “botched decisions” and economic decline. Speaking at the opening of the AFCA Financial Summit Forum 2025 in Budapest, he said this strategy of “economic neutrality” is designed to safeguard national interests.

Szijjártó argued that the past decade’s conflicts and crises are driving the world toward renewed bloc politics, which run counter to Hungary’s interests. He stressed that as a geographically central and export-oriented country, Hungary relies on unhindered global trade. “The bloc-based system has destroyed Europe’s growth model,” he said, pointing to the damage caused by sanctions imposed after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

He criticized the European Union for what he described as misguided strategies toward both the United States and China, noting that Hungary, by contrast, has successfully positioned itself as a meeting point for Eastern and Western businesses. The minister highlighted the country’s success in attracting Chinese investments, with over a third of all such projects in Europe last year directed to Hungary.

“Our economic policy is not about choosing between East and West. We cooperate with both, in investments, in trade and in ensuring our energy security,” he underlined. Minister Szijjártó stated that Hungary will continue to buy energy only from reliable and financially viable sources, regardless of political pressure, adding: “Every attack on our energy security is an attack on our sovereignty.”