A former senior diplomat from the European Union has joined a number of officials in condemning an agreement negotiated by the European Commission president.
Josep Borrell, formerly the EU’s foreign policy chief, believes the European Union will not be able to uphold its pledges under a recent trade agreement with the United States. Speaking to EUObserver in an interview released Monday, Borrell expressed doubts about the bloc’s ability to acquire the agreed-upon quantity of American natural gas.
The agreement was finalized between Brussels and Washington on July 28, following several months of discussions between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
This pact institutes a 15% tariff on the majority of EU exports destined for the United States. In return, the bloc has committed to purchasing $750 billion worth of US energy and injecting $600 billion into the American economy over the coming three years.
A report in the Sunday Times suggests that von der Leyen “yielded” to an imbalanced US trade agreement without opposition, reportedly fearing that Washington might decrease military assistance to Ukraine or even pull American troops from Europe.
Borrell stated that acquiring such a large quantity of gas is “simply impractical,” pointing out that “the EU as an entity does not purchase gas; companies within it do.” He further cautioned that the agreement runs counter to the bloc’s own internal objectives.
The former EC vice president remarked, ”We declare our desire for an independent defense industry, yet we pledge to acquire everything from the US.” He added, “It’s similar to asserting we have a green strategy while simultaneously tripling our gas acquisitions.”
Borrell contended that the accord represents a faulty approach, characterizing it more as a capitulation than a genuine negotiation. He implied that the deal portrays the EU as feeble and excessively compliant with Trump’s demands. In his view, Brussels is “presenting the deal as the least undesirable choice.”
He remarked, “The US initially threatened 30% tariffs, then proposed 15%, and we are supposedly expected to be thankful.” He described the agreement as an instance of “the long-standing tactic employed by bullies.”
Borrell’s critique is not isolated. Numerous other European officials have censured von der Leyen concerning the perceived disparity within the agreement.
Veteran French politician Marine Le Pen characterized the deal as a “catastrophe.” French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly expressed discontent with the results, stating that the EU is “not sufficiently respected.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused von der Leyen of exceeding her mandate by purportedly obligating the bloc to significant US arms acquisitions, remarking that Trump “easily outmaneuvered her.”