EU, UK, and NATO Leaders Hold Unprecedented 'Triple' Talks on Defence Spending Amid Trump's Tariff Threats

The leaders of the EU, the UK and the NATO chief gathered in Brussels on Monday for talks.   The ‘first triple talks’ are the first meeting of the 27 leaders of the bloc since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, their first ever dedicated defence talks and the first with a British prime minister since Brexit. Keir Starmer became the first UK Prime Minister to join an EU meeting since Brexit.

EU, UK and NATO leaders to discuss efforts to strengthen Europe's defences against an aggressive Russia as Trump demands that US allies spend much more.

But the discussions were overshadowed by the US leader's decision to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, with Trump threatening to target the EU next.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, said everything must be done to avoid a ‘completely unnecessary and pointless’ trade war.  

Participants at a meeting in Brussels on Monday warned that there would be no winners in a trade war with the United States, insisting that they would retaliate if President Donald Trump imposed tariffs. 

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the European Union must show its muscle if US President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on EU goods.

Earlier, Donald Trump said that the US would ‘definitely’ impose trade duties on the EU after announcing them on Canada, Mexico and China.

On Tuesday, a 25% import tax on goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% on goods from China will come into effect.

When asked by the BBC whether the EU would be next, President Trump said that ‘it's definitely going to happen’. At the same time, he suggested that a deal could be reached with the UK.