US President Trump downbeat ahead of trade talks with European Union

Brussels, July 25: U.S. President Donald Trump took a pessimistic view of talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker set for today aimed at averting a trade war.

 

In a tweet on Tuesday night, Trump said both the United States and the European Union should drop all tariffs, barriers, and subsidies.

“That would finally be called Free Market and Fair Trade!” Trump said. “Hope they do it, we are ready - but they won’t!” he said.

Trump has accused the EU of unfair trade practices and has threatened to raise tariffs on cars imported from the bloc.

European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, who will accompany Juncker, said last week that the EU was preparing a list of U.S. products to hit if the United States imposed the tariffs.

Juncker will not arrive in Washington with a specific trade offer, the commission said on Monday.

 

On the other side, The European Union’s budget commissioner suggested on Wednesday the bloc would be ready to discuss mutual tariff cuts with the United States across a range of products, provided Washington lifts recent punitive tariffs first.