Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called on the EU to stay “united” and take a “clear and firm” stand against Donald Trump’s warning of tariffs on European goods. At the same time, he proposed lifting EU restrictions on purchasing American weapons—a move that could ease tensions with Washington.
Speaking in Brussels during an informal EU summit on security, Tusk said he would try to “convince all European leaders” against limiting EU funds for U.S. arms, emphasizing that the decision wasn’t about “sucking up” to Washington but about prioritizing security. He stressed that maintaining strong defense ties with the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Norway should be the EU’s main focus.
His remarks appeared to counter a recent EU push, led by France, to bolster the bloc’s military self-sufficiency. Under the EU’s 2024 defense strategy, half of member states’ procurement budgets are supposed to go toward European-made weapons by 2030, increasing to 60% by 2035.
Despite this, Tusk insisted the EU should stand its ground on trade, warning that starting a tariff war would be a “big mistake.” While emphasizing the need for transatlantic cooperation, he argued that Europe must also “have a sense of our own dignity and strength.”
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly accused European nations of failing to pull their weight in NATO and has criticized the EU’s trade policies. He recently claimed the bloc has treated the U.S. “terribly” and vowed to impose tariffs “pretty soon,” citing a $131 billion trade imbalance. He argued that while the U.S. accepts millions of European cars and farm products, “they take almost nothing” from America in return.
Tusk hopes the EU can prevent a damaging trade dispute while reinforcing Western unity against threats from Russia and China. Whether Trump will respond to this “clear, friendly, but firm” message remains to be seen.
