Kneissl attributed most of the EU's problems to its internal causes

Many of the problems of the European Union (EU) are caused by internal reasons and are not related to the tariff policy of US President Donald Trump or the actions of Russia. This was announced on August 7 by former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl.

"In my opinion, the European Commission and the participating countries have lost seven years during which they could prepare (for the return of US President Donald Trump. — Ed.)... Many of their problems are caused from within. It's not Trump, it's not [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, who created problems for the German and European automotive industries," she said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to Kneissl, back in 2018, Trump warned of his intention to impose trade duties on the EU. He later re-announced his plans this spring, but the European Union has not taken any measures to prepare for them.

The ex-minister also added that there is already a "big disagreement" in European countries on many topics, but because of the EU-Trump deal on trade duties, the situation will worsen even more, especially between Paris and Berlin, Kneissl stressed.

In addition, she noted that discontent with anti-Russian sanctions is growing in Europe, which have harmed the European economy. Kneissl called the restrictive measures against Russia and secondary sanctions against its partners illegal, adding that they do not have economic viability.

The end of free trade: The US is on the verge of harsh action against the EU

The parties are ready to exchange mutual duties of 30%

Bloomberg columnist Simon Nixon said on August 1 that the US—EU trade agreement was an extremely unfavorable deal for Brussels. At the same time, the deal will destroy any remaining hopes for lowering non-tariff barriers, which have been such a long-standing source of friction. At the same time, the idea that the EU is a weak side weakens its position in future negotiations, the publication noted.

The United States and the EU agreed on a trade deal on July 27. The agreement will allow the EU to avoid 30% duties that could be imposed by Washington. As a result of the deal, the European Union remains with 15% tariffs on most of its exports, including cars. American goods will be delivered to the European market with a zero duty rate. Trump stressed that such an agreement "satisfies both sides."

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the US-EU trade agreement will lead to the further deindustrialization of Europe. He noted that Europe plans to spend $750 billion on the purchase of American energy resources, in particular liquefied natural gas (LNG) and nuclear energy, due to the "complete decoupling" of energy purchases from Russia.

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