Donald Trump wrote on social media on Friday that he cannot tolerate a high trade deficit with Europe, and that negotiations with the European Union are going nowhere. "Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% tariff on the European Union, starting June 1, 2025" - he stated.
During a media meeting in the Oval Office, Donald Trump also suggested that the decision on tariffs is not part of the negotiation tactics. "I am not looking for a deal, we have set the deal at 50%. But again - there's no tariff if they build their plant here" - he said. The US president have also repeated his thesis that the European Union was created to exploit the United States in trade matters.
The announcement of imposing 50% tariffs on European products came despite the fact that trade negotiations between Washington and Brussels are still underway, albeit with slow progress. In response, the EU Commissioner for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, appealed to the United States on social media for mutual respect instead of threats in trade negotiations.
The representative of the Polish EU Council presidency, Deputy Development Minister Michał Baranowski, told Polish Radio in Brussels on Friday that he sees Donald Trump's threat as a negotiating ploy - which does not necessarily have to translate into specific actions. "Some negotiate behind closed doors, some negotiate in front of cameras" - he commented.
"I am convinced that in the end we will reach an agreement - although it is possible that the road to this agreement will be full of various bumps and interesting statements" - Baranowski added.
Similar message came from a number of EU capitals in response to Donald Trump's latest tariff threats: it is important not to fuel the flames in the dispute, but also to be ready if the negotiations end in failure.
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Source: IAR, PAP