U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed new tariffs on products from several countries. He announced the decision during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he also shared a detailed list specifying the reciprocal tariff rates on different nations.
This move has sparked strong reactions from global leaders, including the European Union (EU). Responding to the U.S. tariffs, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas stated, “No one wins in a trade war.”
She added that the tariffs would ultimately increase the prices of goods for consumers. This was reported by Anadolu Agency on Thursday, April 3.
According to the agency, following the U.S. announcement of a 20% tariff on European goods, Kallas said ahead of a meeting of the EU defense ministers in Poland, “It is clear that all these tariffs will drive up prices for consumers.”
She emphasized that the EU must now consider how to strengthen its own defense industry. “We are buying a lot from the Americans now, but we need to diversify our portfolio so we can have production capabilities here as well,” Kallas said.
She also mentioned that European countries are already supplying more than half of Ukraine’s ammunition, but urged faster actions. “These efforts are progressing well… but we must deliver aid to Ukraine as quickly as possible,” she said.
Kallas further expressed hope that the defense ministers would announce more short-term support for Ukraine during Thursday’s meeting. She remarked, “Because the stronger you are on the battlefield, the stronger you are at the negotiating table.”