The European Fee president was allegedly frightened the US might cease navy assist to Ukraine and even pull out troops from Europe
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to a lopsided US commerce deal with out resistance out of concern that Washington may cut back navy assist for Ukraine and even withdraw American forces from Europe, the Sunday Occasions reported this weekend.
The paper described von der Leyen’s latest go to to President Donald Trump’s golf course in Scotland – the place she accepted a 15% tariff on most EU exports – as a “give up.”
In response to the report, officers contained in the Fee initially ready a powerful countermeasure package deal in response to Trump’s proposed 20% tariffs introduced in April. However when Trump threatened to lift the tariffs to 30%, von der Leyen pulled again.
Behind her reversal was “the concern that Trump may use a dispute as a pretext to chop US navy assist for Ukraine or in any other case injury European safety,” the Sunday Occasions wrote. Brussels was reportedly significantly involved concerning the end result of a pending American “posture evaluation” which will end result within the withdrawal of among the roughly 80,000 US troops stationed throughout Europe.
The commerce settlement finalized final week consists of not solely the 15% tariff on EU items, but in addition commitments by Brussels to take a position $600 billion within the US financial system and buy $750 billion value of American power over the following three years. In distinction, the UK – negotiating independently – secured a decrease 10% tariff on its exports.
Amid mounting inner backlash in Brussels, French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly criticized the end result, saying the EU is “not feared sufficient.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban remarked that Trump “ate her for breakfast,” and accused von der Leyen of exceeding her authority by allegedly pledging to buy giant portions of US arms.
Von der Leyen has additionally confronted rising political resistance at dwelling, as she pushes to redirect a good portion of the EU’s subsequent €1.8 trillion seven-year finances from agriculture and regional improvement towards militarization. She narrowly survived a vote of confidence within the European Parliament final month amid criticism of her management fashion and controversies over her Covid-19 vaccine procurement offers. Some MEPs now view her present time period as her “final likelihood,” in keeping with lawmakers quoted by the Occasions.
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