The European Union wants to negotiate with Trump but at the same time has a firm response against tariffs

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said Tuesday that the European Union (EU) is ready to negotiate with US President Donald Trump, but assured that the bloc has "a solid plan" to counter the new global tariffs that Washington will apply from Wednesday, April 2.

In a speech to the European Parliament, Von der Leyen stressed that the EU has "the power to fight back" and that it has already designed retaliations that would affect US exports by more than $24 billion, which would come into effect in mid-April.

Von der Leyen stressed that Brussels' main objective is to reach "a negotiated solution" with the Trump Administration. However, she warned that, if necessary, the EU is prepared to "protect our interests, our people, our companies."

On her X account, Von der Leyen, noted, "Europe did not start the tariff confrontation. Tariffs are taxes, paid by the people. But Europe has everything to protect our people and our prosperity. We will always promote & defend our interests and values. And we will always stand up for Europe.”

According to the European Commission, the countermeasures would affect US exports valued at €26 billion, a direct response to the tariffs Trump will impose on products such as steel, aluminum, automobiles, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and timber.

For his part, the president of the European Council, António Costa, backed this stance and linked the trade situation to the need to strengthen the EU's strategic autonomy. "The best way to defend our transatlantic relationship is to invest more in our own defense," he said, referring to a plan backed by European leaders two weeks ago.

Majority backing and divisions in the European Parliament

Von der Leyen's speech won the support of the main political groups in the European Parliament: the European People's Party (EPP), the Social Democrats, the Liberals and the Greens. However, it was rejected by the European Left and the right-wing parties, evidencing internal tensions in the bloc.

Manfred Weber, leader of the EPP, harshly criticized Trump's trade policy, stating that "April 2 is not a day of liberation, it is a day of resentment," referring to the name with which the US president has called the entry into force of the tariffs. Weber also stressed the importance of diversifying the EU's economic relations, pointing to the agreement with Mercosur as a "symbol" against Washington's measures.

From the liberal Renew group, Valérie Hayer supported Von der Leyen's response, although she insisted that "much remains to be done" and called for stronger enforcement of European laws on digital services and markets against US tech giants.

For his part, Terry Reintke, co-chair of the Greens, emphasized that the EU can only survive if it remains "united and firm" in the face of leaders such as Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Iratxe García, leader of the Social Democrats, warned that "our Union is under siege" by threats from the east, west and inside Europe.

In contrast, Nicola Procaccini, leader of the Conservatives and Reformists, urged the EPP not to be afraid to align itself with the parliamentary right if it comes to "defending the EU against Trump."

From the European Left, Manon Aubry advocated "starting trade policy from scratch" so that the EU achieves "its own independence."