Kosovo president pushed for suspension of all tariffs on US imports

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani pushed for the elimination of all tariffs on U.S. goods. The European leader spoke out on social media Donald Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariffs for several countries. Osmani spoke of "sending a clear message" with this measure and of "strengthening economic ties with our closest ally."

On Wednesday, Trump signed the tariff implementation from the White House Rose Garden in front of officials and various guests, in what he called "Liberation Day." A day later, the president said from Air Force One that he is open to negotiating tariffs if countries offer something satisfactory, possibly a tariff reduction, as in the case of Kosovo.

"Every country's called us. That's the beauty of what we do. We put ourselves in the driver's seat. If we would have asked some of these countries, almost, most of these countries, to do us a favor they would have said no. Now, they'll do anything for us," Trump said.

While most foreign leaders spoke out against the White House initiative, Kosovo tried another strategy. Aiming to eliminate the announced 10% tariffs, their government is moving forward with eliminating tariffs on all U.S. imports.

"Today, I formally requested the Government of Kosovo to suspend import tariffs on all U.S. products—an important step to deepen economic ties with our closest ally and to send a clear message: Kosovo is ready for a more robust relationship with the United States, with a clear vision that would make both our countries stronger, safer and more prosperous," Osmani said on his X account.

"I am confident this move would unlock new opportunities for job creation, technology exchange, and long-term economic growth. More than just an economic move, this is a foreign policy objective, reaffirming our enduring commitment to the Kosovo–U.S. alliance, built on the shared values of freedom and decades of unwavering support," he added.

Kosovo's president has been in power since 2021 and has since positioned herself as very close to the United States. Indeed, she recently visited Washington, D.C., where she met with many congressmen and think tanks. Among them were the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, Brian Mast, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Keith Self.

Osmani's initiative was well received by Carlos Gimenez, a Republican congressman from Florida, who congratulated her on social media. "Thank you, Madam President! This is being well received in the United States & our other allies in Europe should follow your example," he said.

Israel took a similar stance a day before Trump's announcement, given that it announced eliminating all tariffs on U.S. products. However, Trump also announced 17% tariffs on them. According to journalist Amichai Stein, the feeling in Tel Aviv is one of total surprise.

Reuters reported that India is evaluating reducing tariffs for more than half of the products arriving from the United States. However, Narendra Modi has not yet expressed himself publicly.