Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned U.S. allies Monday against deploying equipment from Chinese telecoms gear manufacturer Huawei on their soil, saying it would make it more difficult for Washington to "partner alongside them."

The United States and its Western allies believe Huawei Technologies' apparatus could be used for espionage, and see its expansion into central Europe as a way for the firm to gain a foothold in the EU market.

"We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks of using that equipment," Pompeo told reporters during a visit to the Hungarian capital, Budapest.