Donald Trump tweets his love for the EU with a photo of kiss with Jean-Claude Juncker as they pull back from brink of trade war
PRESIDENT Donald Trump declared his “love” for the EU by tweeting an image of himself kissing Jean-Claude Juncker - two weeks after calling the bloc the enemy.
“Obviously the European Union, as represented by (Juncker) and the United States, as represented by yours truly, love each other!”, he wrote.
The startling image, taken inside the Oval Office, shows the two greeting each other with a European-style peck on the cheek.
It was taken just two weeks after the US President called the 28-nation strong EU an unfair trading partner and even labelled it a “foe”.
At the time, Juncker hit back calling US steel and aluminium tariffs "stupid".
However, Trump said last night he and Juncker had now agreed to tackle trade tariffs for the benefit of both the US and the EU.
The European Commission President said Trump had also agreed to suspend plans to start taxing European car imports, which would only have escalated the trade dispute.
In a statement Trump said both sides would now “work together towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers and zero subsidies” on industrial goods.
Trump had also threatened to impose tariffs on imported cars, prompting the Europeans to suggest they may place tariffs on £15 billion of American goods in retaliation.
However last night he noted the two continents together make up more than 50 per cent of the world’s trade, and said it would be good if they removed all tariffs and trade barriers as part of the discussions.
So what exactly was agreed?
Trump declared his new agreement with the EU a "very big day for free and fair trade" and vowed to "resolve retaliatory tariffs".
The EU has pledged it will increase purchases of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States making them a "massive buyer".
"The EU is going to start to buy a lot more soy beans - they are a tremendous market - buy a lot of soy beans from our farmers, primarily in the Midwest," said Trump.
The pair also agreed to hold off imposing any further tariffs while negotiations take place, which Juncker called a "major concession" by the President.
However, no announcement was made on auto tariffs, and it was not clear whether any progress had been made on resolving that tricky issue.
Trump has threatened to slap tariffs on imported cars, trucks and auto parts, potentially targeting imports that last year totalled 335 billion dollars (£254 billion).
What has been the reaction in Europe?
German ministers welcomed the news with one describing it as a breakthrough and another saying it had won the EU time.
"This is not yet the result we are aiming for but it has made a positive result in the whole discussion...on free trade or protectionism more likely than before," said Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
"America and Europe are not opponents...We are partners and allies with common values and interests," said Maas said. "The answer to America First can only be: Europe United," he said.
German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier hailed the talks as a "breakthrough" that could avoid a trade war and save millions of jobs. "Great for global economy," he tweeted late on Wednesday.
On Twitter, EU trade official Cecilia Malmstrom said the two were "turning a page" on trade.
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So has Trump changed his mind about the EU?
Just two weeks ago, the US president called the 28-nation strong EU, which includes many of the US’s oldest allies, an unfair trading partner and even labelled it a “foe”.
Speaking on the eve of a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Mr Trump said the EU was an enemy because of “what they do to us in trade”.
And in June, Juncker said he was labelled a “killer” by Trump at a tumultuous Group of Seven summit in Canada.
“That’s the first time that Luxembourg has grown into such a threat to the US I think he meant it as a compliment, but I’m not so sure,” he said.
However, commentators now say it looks like the businessman in Trump has come to fore and he admits - as the EU and US make up more than 50 per cent of the world’s trade - it makes sense to tackle tariffs and trade barriers.