The EU could help the US in its trade battles against “common competitor” China if Donald Trump does not hit the bloc with “silly” tariffs, the prime minister of Belgium said.

Alexander De Croo said EU leaders discussed the need for unity in the face of the president-elect’s threats to impose a 10 per cent tariff on European goods during Thursday night dinner talks in Budapest.

The EU has drawn up a list of US products such as Kentucky bourbon for retaliatory tariffs in Republican-led states seen as vulnerable in the 2026 midterm elections, which would risk a trade war with Washington.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump has vowed to hit Beijing with 60 per cent tariffs, which has sparked fears that Europe could be flooded with Chinese products priced out of the US market.

“I think we need to have a clear dialogue with him and explain what the effect could be for Europe and the United States,” Mr De Croo said as he arrived for a second day of summit talks in the Hungarian capital on Friday.

“I think that we have a common competitor, and the common competitor we have is China.”