The US President Donald Trump at a meeting with Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar in the White House said that if the authorities of the European Union will not negotiate on trade with Washington, he will impose duties on a large group of European goods.

“If they do not talk to us, we will do something that will be quite tough from an economic point of view,” Trump said.

But before that, according to the President, it will not come: the negotiations continue, said Trump.

He also commented on the negotiations between the UK and the EU on the country’s withdrawal from the Association. According to him, they are conducted badly. “I believe that the negotiations could be conducted in a different way,” the US President said.

In turn, Varadkar expressed hope that the trade negotiations between the US and the European Union will be completed successfully.

“The European Union is ready to talk about trade with the US,” the Prime Minister said.​

On June 1, the US imposed duties on steel (25%) and aluminum (10%) from the EU, Mexico and Canada. Later, Trump threatened that in case of an increase in tariffs for imports of American goods to the EU, Washington could respond with duties on the import of European cars.

At the meeting of Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, which took place in July, the parties agreed on the easing of tariff policy, the establishment of zero non-tariff barriers and zero subsidies for industrial goods not related to the automotive industry.