Transatlantic tensions ease as EU, Trump find common ground

The European Union and US President Donald Trump have “turned the page” on their previously fraught relationship, marking a new phase of cooperation on key issues such as Ukraine’s future, defence spending, and trade, said António Costa, president of the EU Council.

Trump’s return to power was initially marked by sharp criticism of the EU, which he claimed was established to “screw” the US, and accusations that Europe was freeloading on American defence support and aid to Ukraine. However, in recent weeks, Trump has adopted a markedly more conciliatory tone, praising European leaders and his dealings with Brussels, Financial Times reports.

“If you look back nine months ago, in January, everybody was really afraid, especially about our relations with the United States,” Costa said. “Over the last nine months, we managed to stabilise the transatlantic relations.” He added, “If you remember his first declarations about the European Union, it seems as if it was something that happened 10 years ago. But now I think we have turned the page and now we need to build upon this new stability and look forward to continuing our relationship with the United States.”

Despite this thaw, tensions remain in certain areas. The European Commission recently fined Google €2.95 billion for alleged “self-preferencing” in its search advertising practices, a move Trump called “very unfair” and threatened to respond to with new tariffs on Europe. Costa acknowledged the disagreement, stating, “Look, friends don’t always agree on everything. We know that the United States has a different vision than Europe about digital regulation. But, OK. We respect their opinion and for sure they respect our decisions.” He also made clear that the EU does not plan to change its digital regulation in the context of the ongoing EU-US trade talks.

Costa’s comments came on the heels of a meeting of Ukraine’s western allies in Paris, where Trump reaffirmed the US commitment to European-led security guarantees for a post-conflict Ukraine. This represented a notable shift from earlier in the year, when the administration ruled out American participation in such a force and hinted at potential sanctions relief for Moscow. The change followed NATO allies’ agreement to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP and the signing of an EU-US trade deal in which the EU accepted 15% tariffs on many exports to the US.

“You’re respected all over the world,” Trump told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a meeting with European leaders. “You might just be the most powerful person at this table.”

Despite the positive momentum, some EU officials remain cautious, noting unresolved issues such as Trump’s readiness to impose tariffs on countries that enforce regulations on US tech companies and lingering uncertainties over key sectors like the European car industry.

A senior EU official described the defence, trade, and Ukraine agreements as having “bought the EU some time” rather than fully resolving tensions with the Trump administration. Costa echoed this sentiment, saying, “The added value of the [trade] agreement is to provide predictability. It’s in the interest of both the EU and the US to preserve this main achievement and not go back to uncertainty, which would undermine investors’ trust.”

He concluded, “The interaction between Europe and the United States has been very, very intensive over the last months. We experienced very critical moments, a lot of uncertainty. But now we have found a new common ground, and now we need to look forward and build upon this.”

By Vafa Guliyeva