Top meeting in Rome: EU and USA facing trade war?

Top meeting in Rome: EU and USA facing trade war?

A short-term EU-US summit meeting took place on Sunday afternoon in Rome, attended by high-ranking representatives of European and American politics. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US Vice President JD Vance discussed pressing issues, in particular the war in Ukraine and strained EU-US relations. The background to these tensions lies in US President Donald Trump's announcement that he would impose tariffs on the EU, which has already led to protests and turbulence on the financial markets.

Trump suspended the application of these tariffs for 90 days in April to ease economic pressure. The meeting began at 3:30 p.m. at Palazzo Chigi, Meloni's official residence, after the delegation's participation in the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz was also present.

Topics of conversation and international relevance

A central topic of the talks was the future relationship between the European Union and the United States. The EU plans to take decisive action, including counter-tariffs, if viable negotiations fail. This comes against the backdrop that the US has imposed punitive tariffs on aluminum (10%) and steel (25%) from the EU, raising serious concerns about the competitiveness of European companies.

The USA is demanding trade facilitation and caps on steel deliveries from the EU. However, this is rejected by the EU, which is demanding permanent tariff exceptions for the negotiations. According to reports, the EU is already planning retaliatory measures in the form of tariffs on US products worth 2.8 billion euros annually. This situation has the potential to develop into a full-scale trade war, which could significantly strain not only political but also economic relations between both sides.

The war in Ukraine and the role of the church

Another important topic of the meeting was the war in Ukraine. Pope Leo XIV welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena after the Mass and stressed the need for peace talks. During his prayer, the Pope made a strong appeal to the international community for lasting peace, a message that also featured prominently at political leadership meetings in Rome.

Another meeting is also planned between Pope Leo XIV and US Vice President JD Vance on Monday, which may also shed light on other aspects of the diplomatic efforts for peace in Ukraine.

The dynamic political relationship between the US and the EU faces crucial challenges that affect not only trade policy but also the geopolitical balance.