Europe shaken by new Trump tariff threats: Countermeasures loom
Photo: Kristupas Vaitiekūnas (from open sources)
Lithuanian Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekūnas has called on the European Union to continue negotiations with the United States while preparing countermeasures following the renewal of tariff threats by US President Donald Trump, LRT reports.
"We must take into account that we will be in this game throughout President Trump’s term. We must find retaliatory measures for these tariffs," Vaitiekūnas tells reporters in Brussels.
He also emphasizes the importance of negotiations with Washington to prevent tariffs and predicted similar pressure from the US throughout the current administration.
"We have to negotiate. I believe that this process involving tariffs, negotiations and pressure from both sides will be constant during this administration," says the Lithuanian Finance Minister.
Late last week, Donald Trump stated that the United States could raise tariffs on passenger and commercial vehicles from the European Union to 25%, accusing the bloc of failing to comply with a previous agreement.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in turn, emphasized that, despite the agreement, the EU has not yet adjusted certain tariffs or rules. The European Union rejects these statements and asserts that it is adhering to the agreement.
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is now set to meet with Greer in Paris on the sidelines of the G7 ministerial meeting to discuss the dispute.
Under the agreement reached last year, US tariffs on cars from the EU were reduced to 15%, lower than the 25% rate applied to some other countries.
Donald Trump’s previous threats to Europe regarding tariffs were linked to resistance to Greenland’s annexation by the US.
It was expected that, starting February 1, 2026, 10% tariffs would take effect on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom (in addition, these countries are already subject to tariffs that were imposed earlier). If the US does not acquire Greenland by June 1, 2026, the tariffs will increase to 25%.
However, in the end, these threats from Trump turned out to be more of a political pressure tactic.
