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San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
European trade ministers pledge unity after Trump's surprise 30% tariffs
BRUSSELS (AP) — European trade ministers were hopeful Monday for a negotiated trade deal after President Donald Trump announced 30% tariffs on the European Unio n, but also expressed resolve in preparing countermeasures if talks break down. The ministers met Monday in Brussels following Trump's surprise announcement of such hefty tariffs, which could have repercussions for governments, companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. The EU is America's biggest business partner and the world's largest trading bloc. 'The EU remains ready to react and that includes robust and proportionate countermeasures if required and there was a strong, feeling in the room of unity," Denmark's foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, told reporters after the meeting. The tariffs, also announced for Mexico, are set to start on Aug. 1 and could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the U.S., and destabilize economies from Portugal to Norway. Meanwhile, Brussels decided to suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods scheduled to take effect Monday in hopes of reaching a trade deal with the Trump administration by the end of the month. The 'countermeasures' by the EU, which negotiates trade deals on behalf of its 27 member countries, will be delayed until Aug. 1. Trump's letter shows 'that we have until the first of August' to negotiate, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels on Sunday. Maroš Šefčovič, the EU's trade representative in its talks with the U.S., said negotiations would continue Monday. 'I'm absolutely 100% sure that a negotiated solution is much better than the tension which we might have after the 1st of August," he told reporters in Brussels on Monday. But he added that 'we must be prepared for all outcomes.' 'I cannot imagine walking away without genuine effort. Having said that, the current uncertainty caused by unjustified tariffs cannot persist indefinitely and therefore we must prepare for all outcomes, including, if necessary, well-considered proportionate countermeasures to restore the balance in our transit static relationship.' The letters to the EU and Mexico come in the midst of an on-and-off Trump threat to impose tariffs on countries and right an imbalance in trade. Trump imposed tariffs in April on dozens of countries, before pausing them for 90 days to negotiate individual deals. As the three-month grace period ended this week, he began sending tariff letters to leaders, but again has pushed back the implementation day for what he says will be just a few more weeks. If he moves forward with the tariffs, it could have ramifications for nearly every aspect of the global economy. The American Chamber of Commerce in the European Union, an influential industry group representing major American corporations in Europe, said the tariffs could 'generate damaging ripple effects across all sectors of the EU and US economies' and praised the EU's delay of countermeasures. In the wake of the new tariffs, European leaders largely closed ranks, calling for unity but also a steady hand to not provoke further acrimony. Just last week, Europe was cautiously optimistic. Officials told reporters on Friday they weren't expecting a letter like the one sent Saturday and that a trade deal was to be inked in 'the coming days." For months, the EU has broadcast that it has strong retaliatory measures ready if talks fail. Reeling from successive rebukes from Washington, Šefčovič said Monday the EU is 'doubling down on efforts to open new markets' and pointed to a new economic agreement with Indonesia as one. The EU top brass will visit Beijing fora summit later this month while courting other Pacific nations like South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, whose prime minister visited Brussels over the weekend to sign a new economic partnership with the EU. It also has mega-deals in the works with Mexico and a trading bloc of South American nations known as Mercosur, and Šefčovič will meet with his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates next week.
Observer
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Observer
President Putin is serious about Ukraine peace talks
MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was serious about trying to find peace at talks he has proposed in Türkiye but his spokesman said he could say no more about the talks after Ukraine demanded the Kremlin chief attend. Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine aimed at ending the war, and, after US President Donald Trump publicly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to accept, Zelenskiy said he would but that Putin should attend in person. "We are committed to a serious search for ways of a long-term peaceful settlement," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, referencing the failed 2022 talks between Russia and Ukraine. Peskov said many leaders had welcomed Putin's approach. "This approach, aimed precisely at finding a real diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis, eliminating the root causes of the conflict and establishing lasting peace, has met with understanding and support from the leaders of many countries." He cited positive reactions from US President Donald Trump, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as well as from countries in the BRICS group and from countries in the former Soviet Union. Before reporters could ask any more questions about the proposed talks, Peskov said: "That's all. I've said everything I could about this story." Putin and Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 and make no secret of their contempt for each other. Putin's proposal for direct talks with Ukraine came hours after major European powers demanded on Saturday in Kyiv that Putin agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face "massive" new sanctions. Germany's government said on Monday that European countries will start preparing new sanctions on Russia unless the Kremlin by the end of Monday starts abiding by a 30-day ceasefire. "The language of ultimatums is unacceptable for Russia, it is not suitable. You can't use such language with Russia," Peskov said when asked about the German and other European warnings. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Monday that Vladimir Putin must "get serious" about engaging in peace talks. The British foreign secretary commended Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky for his "willingness to engage in talks" as European foreign ministers gathered in London for discussions about the continent's security. Zelensky has challenged his Russian counterpart to meet him face-to-face for negotiations to end the war in his country on Thursday in Türkiye. Putin faces the challenge after he said he wanted to hold direct talks with Kiev. Urging the Russian leader to step up to the table, Lammy said: "This is the time for Vladimir Putin to get serious about peace in Europe, to get serious about a ceasefire, and to get serious about talks." But Europe's leaders are "prepared if this is not the moment of seriousness from Putin," he added. The foreign secretary is hosting his counterparts from France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland and the European Union for a meeting at Lancaster House on Monday, after a weekend of diplomacy for Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia is "completely ignoring" a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and European powers that was to have begun on Monday. Writing on X, Sybiha said he had spoken to European ministers meeting in London, and they had discussed steps that could be taken against Russia, including new sanctions against the Russian banking and energy sectors and the Russian central bank. — Agencies
