President of the European Commission, von der Leyen, stated that the EU is prepared to respond strongly to the tariffs imposed by the US. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, spoke about trade relations with the US and new tariffs at the plenary session of the European Parliament held in Strasbourg. Pointing out that Europe did not initiate the customs duty conflict, von der Leyen stated, “We believe that tariffs are wrong. Today I want to convey the message that we have everything we need to protect our people and our prosperity.” Emphasizing that the EU has the world’s largest single market, von der Leyen highlighted the strength to negotiate with tariffs and resist them, saying, “We will always defend our interests and values.” Reminding that the US administration has announced a 25% tariff on steel, aluminum, cars, and car parts imports so far, von der Leyen mentioned that the next sectors to face customs duties would be semi-conductors, medicines, and lumber. Indicating that the US will announce “mutual tariffs” to be applied to almost all products and many countries in the world tomorrow, von der Leyen emphasized that there are many problems and imbalances in the trade world, but they need to be fought together. Drawing attention to the fact that in general, implementing tariffs will make things worse, von der Leyen said, “Tariffs are taxes that will be paid by the people. Tariffs will only fuel inflation.” von der Leyen stated that the first element of the EU’s strategy against tariffs is negotiation and that they want to discuss these issues. Stating, “We are ready to take countermeasures,” von der Leyen pointed out that all options are on the table. von der Leyen emphasized that they are in close contact with the leaders of the EU member states regarding the next steps on tariffs and stated, “We will carefully evaluate the US’s announcements and adjust our response accordingly. Our aim is to find a solution through negotiation. If necessary, we will protect our interests, people, and companies. I want to be very clear about the purpose of our response. We believe that this confrontation is not in anyone’s interests.” von der Leyen recalled that a constructive solution benefits everyone, saying, “Europe did not start this conflict. We don’t necessarily want to retaliate. But if needed, we have a strong plan for retaliation and we will carry it out.” von der Leyen stated that they will continue to diversify trade with other partners and deepen the single market further.