Stoltenberg urged Trump not to impose duties on Europe
Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with PBS on January 21 that U.S. President Donald Trump should not impose duties against Europe.
He said he understands Washington and allies' concerns about dependence on Russian gas or rare earth minerals from China but believes that free trade between Western allies is a different matter and it is wrong to impose duties on it.
"I firmly believe that there should be free trade among friends and allies, especially NATO, which is 50% of the global economy. It will increase growth and make us all richer. And that's why I believe we should not impose duties against allies, but keep our economies open to each other," the former North Atlantic Alliance secretary general said.
Stoltenberg said Trump should be treated the same way he was treated in his last term: "sit down at the negotiating table with friends and allies" to find common ground on contentious issues.
Earlier in the day, Politico Europe reported that the European Union (EU) and the UK have prepared retaliatory measures in case Donald Trump raises duties on goods from European countries. it was specified that officials hope that they will be able to convince Trump to refuse to impose "punitive tariffs" on European products. Nevertheless, if that happens, they are ready to use retaliatory measures.
On inauguration day, January 20, Trump announced plans to create the Foreign Revenue Service, which will regulate duties on goods imported into the United States.
Earlier, in December 2024, Trump threatened the EU with increased import duties if the union did not increase purchases of U.S. energy resources.
In November, The Washington Post reported that the trade duties that Trump is going to impose could cause serious damage to EU countries. It was specified that large European economies at the current moment are already lagging behind the United States as a result of the pandemic. According to economists, Trump's "protectionist measures" could cause further recession in Europe and complicate relations between allies.
