Europe Accepts New US Tariffs on Security and Support for Ukraine

• Europe has agreed to new US tariffs on security support.
• Purchases of American weapons to support Ukraine are increasing.
• Spending on defense in Europe is expected to rise by hundreds of billions.

The French Prime Minister characterized the situation as a "dark day" for the European Union, which highlights the "subordination" to the US regarding tariffs. Commentators believe that the rhetoric of the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen with President Donald Trump has become a symbol of capitulation.

Europe is significantly dependent on the United States, and this applies not only to trade. The agreement that von der Leyen supported on exports anticipates an increase in tariffs on most European export goods to 15%, which is 10% higher than before. The start of the agreement is scheduled for Friday, and its representatives claim that this is "the largest trade agreement in history."

This situation arose against the backdrop of increasing threats from Russia, which invaded Ukraine. Europeans fear that in the event of the re-election of President Vladimir Putin, he may target one of the European countries. Also, European countries have begun to purchase American weapons to support Ukraine.

Europeans are also considering the possibility of a short-term presence of American troops in Europe, which is expected to be announced in yellow. Currently, about 84,000 American military personnel are stationed in Europe.

An important part of the agreement is the obligation to purchase American oil and gas. The ongoing war of Russia with Ukraine, which has lasted for four years, has led most EU countries to reduce their dependence on Russian energy supplies.

Currently, von der Leyen stated that purchases of American energy products will help diversify supply sources and increase energy security in Europe.

The agreement was also made on the necessity to increase defense spending, as European allies in NATO have committed to spending hundreds of billions of dollars on security over the next decade.

Von der Leyen did not deny when Trump stated that as long as America provides gas assistance, Europe is the largest supplier of assistance to Palestine.

In summary, although the new tariffs may negatively impact the EU economy, this cannot be compared to the consequences of the energy crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Tags: USA/Europe/Politics/Economy/Energy