The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs against most countries worldwide, reports Rks News.
In a statement released last night, von der Leyen described the decision as “a significant step towards stabilizing the global economy,” according to The Guardian.
She also reiterated the idea of a trade agreement with zero tariffs between the European Union and the U.S., expressing optimism for a future with fewer economic tensions.
“A frictionless trade with mutual benefits,” was the phrase used by von der Leyen to describe her vision for transatlantic trade relations.
Meanwhile, from the Oval Office, President Trump did not hold back comments linking trade policy to the U.S. military presence in Europe.
Asked about the possibility of withdrawing U.S. troops from the European continent, he stated, “Yes, it could happen. I mean, it depends. We pay for the army in Europe. You know, they don’t reimburse us much… So that will be one of the things we discuss, although it has nothing to do with trade, but I think we will make it part of it because it makes sense, it would be good to include it all in a package for every country. So, it’s cleaner.”
These comments are expected to spark a debate over security in Central and Eastern Europe, where countries like Poland and Romania have expressed concerns following reports that the U.S. may withdraw up to 10,000 troops from the region.
In another unsettling statement, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized: “The only person who will make the decision regarding the structure of U.S. military forces in Europe will be President Trump.”
He added that the U.S. will continue strategic discussions regarding troop placement, including the potential impact of talks between Ukraine and Russia.
“We will continue to have ongoing discussions, including in the context of Ukraine-Russia negotiations, on how our military positioning on the continent should best address American interests and ensure burden-sharing in Europe,” said the U.S. president.
These developments come at a time when representatives of the “Coalition of the Willing” are gathering in Brussels to discuss future strategies in support of Ukraine and security in Europe.
