The European Union (EU) is gearing up to initiate talks with the U.S. president-elect’s transition team in an effort to minimize political uncertainty following Donald Trump’s victory in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the EU is preparing a “wish list” for these negotiations. Key priorities include securing continued U.S. financial support for Ukraine and avoiding high tariffs on European imports.
However, Brussels has reportedly been informed of a clear expectation from Trump’s team: EU support for stricter measures against China.
People familiar with these discussions indicated that the China-related demand was presented explicitly during preliminary talks with Republican officials prior to the election.
The European Commission has, in fact, been preparing for a Trump presidency for over a year. It has developed a series of retaliation plans, which include proposals to increase purchases of U.S. energy products to address the trade deficit and a tariff strategy targeting rates above 50% if negotiations stall.
Furthermore, Brussels is reportedly preparing for potential shifts in U.S. diplomatic policy, such as Trump’s possible shift of China’s diplomatic recognition from Beijing to Taipei.
