"The tariff deal with the EU and China is easy, I'm in no hurry to close it," Trump said after meeting with Meloni

WASHINGTON - The United States has no problem reaching agreements to settle tariff disputes with both the European Union and China, according to President Donald Trump. Trump said this after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Washington on Friday. As reported by world news agencies, he said the negotiations are going well, but the agreements will not be concluded in any hurry.

During a press briefing, Trump said that "a deal with Europe and China is very easily achievable," stressing that his administration is committed to making the terms favorable to the United States. Although he said the negotiations are proceeding smoothly, he did not give a specific date for the signing of any agreement. Import tariffs have been one of Trump's key trade policy tools since his first term in the White House (2017-2021). Under the "America First" policy, he imposed tariffs on a range of products imported from China, the European Union and other countries. These moves have sparked trade tensions, particularly between Washington and Beijing, but also within the transatlantic relationship.

Trump described his talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as very friendly and constructive. "Giorgia is a great leader. Italy has a strong prime minister in her and I believe our relationship will be even better," the US president said. After the meeting, Meloni announced that Trump had accepted her invitation for an official visit to Italy, which is expected to take place in the near future. A date for the trip has not yet been set. The Italian prime minister also said that she discussed with Trump not only trade issues but also global security issues and developments in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Trump also said that the world's two largest economies, the US and China, between which the tariff dispute has become very heated, will eventually reach an agreement. Washington has imposed tariffs of 145 per cent on imports from China, while tariffs on US imports to China have risen to 125 per cent as a result of Beijing's retaliatory actions.

The US president added that he was in no hurry to make the agreements because the tariffs were working and bringing revenue to his country. "We have a lot of countries that want to make a deal. Frankly, they want it more than we do," he told reporters, referring to current contacts, particularly with some Asian countries like Japan.

gnews.cz - GH