Hungary announced it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest for a four-day visit.

During their meeting in Budapest, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban spoke to US President Donald Trump by phone, Netanyahu’s office says. The conversation focused on Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court today,

Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu applauded Hungary for its "bold and principled" decision to leave the International Criminal Court as he visited Budapest on Thursday, a rare trip abroad in defiance of an ICC arrest warrant.

It was only the second foreign trip Netanyahu has made since the International Criminal Court issued the warrant against him in November. As Netanyahu arrived in Budapest, Hungary said it will begin the procedure of withdrawing from the ICC.

The announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, despite an international arrest warrant against him over his conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is traveling to Hungary despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him over the war in Gaza

The decision comes as the Israeli leader makes his first trip to Europe since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him over the war in Gaza.

Hungary said it will start the process to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, just as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ICC arrest warrant, arrived in Budapest.

Hungary says it is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court as Israel's Netanyahu visits:: Budapest, Hungary:: April 3, 2025:: The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last year over allegations of war crimes in GazaRight-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited his Israeli counterpart to Budapest in November,

The Foreign Minister of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto, on Thursday accused the European Union, EU, of “Trump-phobia.” Szijjarto charged the EU commission to negotiate with the United States, US. He made the remark while condemning Trump’s tariffs.

Leaders in the Czech Republic and Poland signalled a readiness on Thursday to retaliate to new U.S. tariffs, while Hungary blamed Brussels for tensions with Washington, as central Europe began counting the likely costs of a trade war.

Watch: Key moments in Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs announcement. Video, 00:01:43Watch: Key moments in Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs announcement Inside Mandalay: BBC joins rescuers searching for earthquake dead in Myanmar.

European shares slumped to a two-month low on Thursday, with trade-sensitive Germany hit the hardest, as a fresh round of aggressive U.S. tariffs escalated a global trade war and stoked fears of an economic slowdown.

President Donald Trump's move to slap a 10% tariff on most goods imported to the United States, as well as much higher levies on dozens of rivals and allies alike, has intensified a global trade war that threatens to stoke inflation and stall growth.

European shares fell on Wednesday, weighed by losses in healthcare stocks, as investors awaited tariff plans from U.S. President Donald Trump that some fear could slow global growth and boost inflation.