EU's Tusk urges Trump to 'make trade, not war

Mar 14, 2018

Tusk last week warned that Trump's plans could lead to "a serious trade dispute" between Washington and the rest of the world involving the EU.

 
EU Council President Donald Tusk on Wednesday urged US President Donald Trump to hold trade talks with the bloc instead of waging a "trade war" amid Washington's plans to introduce new steel and aluminium tariffs. 
 
"Make trade, not war, Mr President. Instead of trade war, we should go back to EU-US trade talks now," Tusk tweeted during a visit to Helsinki where he met Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila for talks about Brexit. 
 
Tusk last week warned that Trump's plans could lead to "a serious trade dispute" between Washington and the rest of the world involving the EU.
 
The European Commission, the 28-nation EU executive body, warned Wednesday it would hit flagship US products including peanut butter, orange juice and bourbon whiskey with counter measures if Trump goes ahead with the metal tariffs.
 
Trump has yet to sign into effect his plan to set tariffs for what he calls unfair competition for US industry.
 
Tusk proposed that an EU leaders summit later this month in Brussels hold "an extraordinary trade debate" over the possible "repercussions for our citizens and our businesses not to mention the global economy."
 
He said EU leaders should aim "to keep world trade alive and if necessary to protect Europeans against trade turbulences."

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