Below par? EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s dash to Donald Trump’s Scottish golf resort to seal a highly unbalanced trade deal has raised fears that Europe has lost the leverage it once thought it had as a leading global trade power.
Replies
De kop had moeten zijn, “Behoed u voor autocraten, dictators en religieus / sektarisch fanatisme”. We hebben nagelaten om wetten die deze stromingen weren, binnen onze democratische grondwet te implementeren. Nu zijn we het haasje. Alsnog doen en schouders eronder.
aug 31, 2025, 8:32 am • 0 0 • view
Read this article and wake up. Very interesting. And do not cooperate with dictators. Never. If you do, you are dead. So let’s fight for peace and humanity.
aug 31, 2025, 8:23 am • 3 0 • view
IMHO, if you bow down to bullies, they come back for more. Personally, I can't see what EU gained from this deal. From the outside, it looks like we should put America first, and at least that is not what I want to do.
aug 31, 2025, 8:54 am • 2 0 • view
I've said it before and say it again: China showed the way.
aug 31, 2025, 8:14 am • 3 1 • view
US tariffs applied on China are at least double those the EU got. If that's a success, I'd rather take EU's failure.
aug 31, 2025, 11:10 am • 0 0 • view
China stood up to trump and he backed down. The EU is demonstrating a strategic lack of will.
aug 31, 2025, 12:05 pm • 1 0 • view
This would make sense if China had lower tariffs than the EU. It doesn't. The EU strategic objectives were lower tariffs and a relative competitive advantage. It got both. In the real world, Trump exists and there's nothing the EU can do about that.
aug 31, 2025, 1:53 pm • 0 0 • view
The tariffs are relatively minor (and might even be ruled illegal, anyway...) compared to demonstrating how a bloc defends itself. On this, the EU has shown itself weak and desperate.
aug 31, 2025, 1:55 pm • 0 0 • view
Your opinions have no impact on the real world. An EU company is suddenly more competitive on the US market compared to a Chinese company because of the tariff level. You can be disappointed all you want but industry doesn't care.
aug 31, 2025, 1:59 pm • 0 0 • view
Your opinions are equally worthless. #justsaying
aug 31, 2025, 3:18 pm • 0 0 • view
We can ignore each other’s opinions. What’s left is a 30%+ sectoral add ons tariff on China and a 15% tariff on the EU. The numbers don’t change regardless of what we think of them.
aug 31, 2025, 3:29 pm • 0 0 • view
It isn't just about Europe losing leverage, because the consequence from trumpism is the west and allies alike are now disunited. We all lose. Trump may have inadvertently handed China the mantel of World leader as nations find it easier to trade there.
aug 31, 2025, 8:59 am • 0 0 • view
The EU haven't lost their leverage, they just didn't use it.
aug 31, 2025, 8:16 am • 14 0 • view
If Trump refuses to honor his NATO obligations to help protect allies against aggression Europe can simply close all US military bases on our territory. What good are they to us if you won't help us when needed? The US is able to operate on this continent only because we allow it.
aug 31, 2025, 8:57 am • 4 0 • view
If the US is not an ally (and it sure seems they are not) why would we want to host your military bases? They are supposedly here for our protection but really they mainly serve to project American strategic influence, just like NATO. The Trump regime threatens that balance at their own risk.
aug 31, 2025, 9:04 am • 0 0 • view
As far as trade, the EU can easily go elsewhere to find trading partners that won't behave like third rate mobsters. It's way past time that we reduce our overreliance on the US.
aug 31, 2025, 9:17 am • 0 0 • view
We can refill our military bases with sovereign soldiers and equipment. The US will lose most of its influence in Europe.
aug 31, 2025, 9:12 am • 2 0 • view
The very bright & interesting EU French Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is more than capable dealing with multiple difficult & wonky personalities! Also the Love and joyful experience of having Five or Six Children keeps life in real time with what is necessary-The People ; Country and EU.
aug 31, 2025, 12:09 pm • 0 0 • view
They're just playing along with the madman.
aug 31, 2025, 11:21 am • 0 0 • view
You're telling us we've been tightening our belts, "by force inflation" for nothing ? plus a humiliation as a bonus. Is this a joke ?
aug 31, 2025, 8:16 am • 2 0 • view
Just keeping Trump sweet IMO until he's either removed from office due to death, insanity or US economic collapse.
aug 31, 2025, 8:13 am • 5 0 • view
Go Europe, lol
aug 31, 2025, 8:19 am • 1 0 • view
His puppet. Shame on her 🥵
aug 31, 2025, 10:39 am • 1 0 • view
Europe has been sleeping and on the shade of the US for too long. Time to grow.
aug 31, 2025, 6:59 pm • 0 0 • view
The EU knows that the time will come when a major showdown with Trump and those behind him will be inevitable. Battles are often won by those who decide where and when.
aug 31, 2025, 8:56 am • 6 0 • view
Trump is the stupidest person on earth. His actions are those of a gangster.
aug 31, 2025, 8:41 am • 3 0 • view
If you just assume tRump is an idiot with no idea of what he's doing, you'll be right more often than you'll be wrong.
aug 31, 2025, 8:16 am • 1 0 • view
What a joke. Trump has no plan for ending the war because his only idea is to give Putin everything he asks, which wouldn’t end the war at all. Europe and Ukraine know this. More importantly, Putin knows this and sees no reason to stop the killing he started.
aug 31, 2025, 8:27 am • 2 0 • view
You keep rehashing this line, day after day, week after week. Why?
aug 31, 2025, 12:46 pm • 0 0 • view