“We may have to get involved with hard negotiations, even with long -time partners,” said von der Leyen, referring to the trade dispute with Trump. “Maybe we also have to work with countries that are not like -minded, but share some of our interests.”
Trump threatens Europeans with tariffs to products that are exported from the EU to the USA. Experts warn that this could hit German car manufacturers hard.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) advocated cooperation with Trump at the EU summit, but did not rule out countermeasures for emergencies. France’s President Emmanuel Macron and other heads of state and government commented similarly.
In her speech, the Leyen referred to the greatly changed geopolitical situation. Europe should not make decisions based on “nostalgia about a world that once existed, but due to calculated assessments, which is in our own interest (…),” she emphasized.
Trump had arranged tariffs on products from Mexico, Canada and China at the weekend. With the neighboring countries Mexico and Canada, however, he has now reached a preliminary agreement. China imposed against tariffs and announced a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO).