EU chief vows to advance trade talks “swiftly” with US after Trump call

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed Sunday to move "swiftly" to reach a trade deal with the United States, saying she held a "good call" with President Donald Trump following his threat of 50-percent tariffs on the bloc.

"Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively," the European Commission president posted on X. "To reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9," she added.

Earlier this month, Trump announced a recommendation to impose a 50 percent tariff on all goods imported from the European Union (EU), set to take effect on June 1, 2025.

The move was part of a significant escalation in US-EU trade tensions and is part of Trump’s broader protectionist trade agenda aimed at reducing America’s trade deficit and promoting domestic manufacturing.

The announcement had come via a post on Truth Social, where Trump expressed frustration with the EU, accusing the 27-nation bloc of being "very difficult to deal with" and claiming that trade negotiations were "going nowhere."