Berlin — Germany’s finance minister Lars Klingbeil issued a stark warning on Sunday, calling on the European Union to abandon its “timid” posture and adopt a firmer, more united approach in trade negotiations with the United States, especially as President Donald Trump intensifies tariff threats against key European exports.
In a speech delivered during his Washington visit, Klingbeil stressed that the EU had been “too weak and fragmented” during earlier negotiations, a vulnerability that Trump exploited to impose punishing tariffs on steel, aluminum, and a range of other EU goods. He urged Brussels to demonstrate “strategic strength” and ensure “collective resilience” in future trade talks.
The finance chief’s remarks come amid renewed transatlantic friction, with Trump signaling plans to revisit punitive tariffs reminiscent of his first presidential term. Germany, already contending with sluggish growth and weakening investor confidence, fears further blows to its critical export industries, including automotive and heavy manufacturing, if the EU fails to secure exemptions or compromises.
Klingbeil’s discussions with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly focused on carving out a steel exemption for German firms while addressing broader trade tensions. “Our companies cannot invest or plan when facing such volatility,” Klingbeil said, emphasizing the urgency of providing clarity to European businesses that rely heavily on transatlantic commerce.
The EU has recently agreed to suspend retaliatory tariffs for six months, in a move some critics view as premature appeasement. Yet Klingbeil framed the gesture as a window for diplomacy, one that the EU must not waste. “This is the time to show we are not a divided bloc begging for favors,” he declared. “We negotiate as equals, or not at all.”
Economists note that the EU’s decision to pause its countermeasures may embolden Trump to press further, while others argue it reflects a calculated attempt to reduce the risk of a full-blown trade war during a time of economic fragility. Europe’s second-quarter GDP grew by a meager 0.1%, with Germany and Italy both entering technical recessions, data that underscores the bloc’s limited room for error.
Beyond trade, Klingbeil’s visit also aimed to reaffirm Germany’s commitment to transatlantic stability, while subtly signaling Berlin’s growing frustration with Washington’s erratic economic posture. Some German officials privately suggest that aligning too closely with the US, especially under Trump’s renewed leadership, could damage Europe’s broader interests.
In the backdrop looms the broader geopolitical realignment, as Russia, China, and BRICS nations increasingly present themselves as counterweights to Western economic coercion. Klingbeil’s push for EU strength echoes a growing European awareness that dependence on Washington, economically or politically, may no longer serve the continent’s long-term stability.
According to Reuters, Klingbeil’s remarks were delivered ahead of a scheduled policy meeting in Brussels next week, where the European Commission is expected to review its negotiation framework with the United States. The German minister’s comments have added pressure on EU leaders to adopt a more cohesive and assertive strategy before Trump’s team reopens the tariff files.
