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If volume is an indicator, then it would be clear who dominated the White House crisis meeting: the voice of US President Donald Trump, who sits on the front of the chair, Wednesday through the oval office . The words of the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who lies in the chair, go under the clatter of cameras
Then, the journalists must go out, negotiations begin and the unexpected happens: Juncker and Trump make a breakthrough, Suddenly, the last escalated trade conflict seems settled. There is no mention of additional US duties on European car imports and EU retaliatory threats. For the improbability of such a development, showed the original plans for the meeting.
According to them, the talks at 13.40 hours (local time / 19.30 CEST) begin, 50 minutes later, then again the departure of Juncker and his Team Ensemble A joint press conference was not on the agenda – even if there is nothing to announce. Both parties had already joked.
Juncker told the ZDF before his trip: "We are not sitting here on the dock, so we do not need to defend ourselves." Trump said in his usual style, "What the EU is doing to us is amazing, how much."
Suddenly different
On Wednesday, everything will be different. During the discussions, it is suddenly said that Trump and Juncker would now come to the press. At 4:20 pm, nearly two hours after Juncker's scheduled departure time, both appear visibly happy in the White House Rose Garden.
Trump, who recently called the EU's "adversary" in commercial matters, suddenly speaks of a new phase of friendship, solid trade relations in which we will all win both. "Later, he will even post a photo on Twitter showing Juncker making him a big kiss
The two parties are in agreement, among others, to negotiate industrial products for the first time. abolition of tariffs, trade restrictions and subsidies.Juncker says that there will be no new sanctions in the ongoing discussions.It refers to US tariffs threatened by Trump on cars that would have hit mostly German automakers.Trump says that they will solve the problem of steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the United States, as well as the "retaliatory tariffs" of the United States. EU.
This is a great achievement for Juncker – perhaps the biggest part of his mandate. The Luxembourger has recently been under considerable pressure. Even the resignation requests – among others from the secretary general of the Austrian party FPÖ, Harald Vilimsky – had become noisy after a video showing that he hesitated for several minutes at the NATO summit and was supported by several leaders of State and Government
. managed to avoid a threatening trade war, which hardly anyone had dared to do. However, the success is even greater for Trump: he has obviously prevailed with his tactics to force trading partners to exert increasing pressure on concessions. Before the meeting, he was laughed at, after his threat of the duties of the car, the Europeans had immediately asked for talks. Would you like to see me tomorrow? "
Trump wants to compete with Nord Stream
According to what we know, after the agreement on Wednesday, the EU will not get any substantial compensation from the United States – unless it does it the prospect that higher car rates will be absent at the moment and that they will be checked for both steel and aluminum. Taxes had already described the EU as inconsistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization of the WTO. "The EU, on the other hand, says it intends to import more liquefied gas from the United States, putting Trump in competition with its North Stream 2 gas pipeline, much criticized, that Germany is advancing with Russia.
Trump also said: The European Union will start buying soy almost immediately, "especially by the Midwestern US farmers, who are prominent supporters of Trump. How the EU wants to do that is not clear. But it is clear that Trump is under increasing pressure because of soybeans, mainly used for animal feed: Trump broke a barrier not only with the EU, but also with important countries like China, first global importer of soybeans. "Soy is a big problem," Trump said Wednesday. "Thank you, Jean-Claude."
It is only Tuesday that Trump announced, "Trade will be the biggest beneficiary", in the context of trade disputes. The same day, he wrote on Twitter: "Customs are the biggest!" At the same time, his government had to announce an emergency aid of 12 billion dollars (10.27 billion euros) for the agricultural sector because of the escalation of trade conflicts.
Republicans also criticized
. Take a harsh criticism. "This trade war is cutting our farmers, and the White House plan is to spend $ 12 billion on golden crutches," said Senator Ben Sbade. His colleague Ron Johnson even spoke of a "Soviet-style economy." And the unification of "peasants for free trade" advised Trump: "The best relief in the president's trade war would be to end the trade war."
After his success in negotiations from the EU, Trump such reminders impress. On Tuesday, he had asked his compatriots to be patient on the various trading fronts. "We have to hold on," he said. On Wednesday, he wrote on Twitter: "These countries have ripped us off for decades." Ferociously, he added: "No weakness!"
(APA / dpa)
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