Interview with Juncker: Agreement with the USA by the wire | new

These are words that could have come from US President Donald Trump. But she said the head of the European Commission: "I have reached an agreement – and we have an agreement," said Jean-Claude Juncker after hours of negotiations with Trump at the White House on Wednesday

. "Why the deal failed because Americans have mbadive pressure, especially the president, that agricultural issues must enter into the overall deal," Juncker said in an interview with studio ARD's Brussels.

But the president of the European Commission has remained firm: all agricultural products except soy are exempt from the tariff treaty being negotiated with the United States. This should rebadure European farmers, as they do not need to fear American competition.

Facts, facts, facts

The Europeans still got the deal. It's a success that, according to Juncker is also attributable to a persevering influence on Trump. He predicts time and time again to the US President that the US – if we add services – do not trade negatively with Europe, but realize a surplus:

"He always denied these figures, until I could prove to him that these are the figures of US statisticians, and the conversation was friendly, "said Juncker.

At the end of negotiations, it is the US president who has aired a now legendary photo via a Twitter message. : This shows Trump and Juncker kissing and licking a European kiss on the cheek of the man: "Unlike my usual behavior, the initiative does not make any sense. is not surprisingly come from me, and I did not know that a photographer was in the oval Office was. "

A love between the continents

" But the picture sums up the l & # 39; atmosphere of the moment, "report and the President of the Commission, in retrospect. Juncker is known in Brussels for giving hugs and kisses to almost all official guests in front of the cameras. Apparently it was not the Luxemburger, who took over the active part this time. And anyway: for Juncker, it was the first kiss with Trump

The American president, who had called the Europeans two weeks earlier as an "opponent", congratulated Juncker as " stubborn man, very good, very intelligent and "The agreement – the agreement – with Mr. Trump means for me the beginning of a new friendship, but the continuation of an old friendship" , said Juncker.

19659005] Soy saves the "deal"

Soybeans are ultimately the most important factor for obtaining a "deal" for a long time. "C & # 39 was an inspiration of the moment that worked, "says Juncker.Soy wants to buy American farmers now in greater numbers, that is the promise

" Who thinks the Commission could dispose of what matters what hence, overestimates the possibilities of the Commission. Prices are the main factor in soybeans. "This Juncker clearly shows that the European Commission can not simply screw the Member States' thumb screws and force them to buy American soybeans, which is supposed to be the price down." And another thing Juncker realized was that genetically modified soybeans would not be imported into the EU, this was not part of the agreement.

It remains to be seen what is the agreement with a sometimes erratic US president for Europeans "I suppose this agreement holds," says Juncker.After all, they went with a "leap of faith" in the "exhausting" talks.A key indicator for the further development of relations between the EU and the United States will probably know if they'll greet each other with kisses next time.