BRUSSELS, April 4. /TASS/. Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said that the relations of Ottawa and European Union countries with the United States will never be the same because of US President Donald Trump's actions in the trade sector.
During a meeting of NATO foreign policy chiefs in Brussels, Joly stated: "We realize that relations will never be the same again. That’s my message to the Europeans: relations with the US will never be the same. The Americans want to deal with issues in a different way, and we recognize that. This is why we will seek an agreement with the US on trade and security - one cannot be separated from the other."
She argued that Trump’s trade policies aim to rewrite global trading rules, a move that particularly affects Canada, which has been the "biggest client" of the US for decades. Ottawa now plans to ramp up retaliatory measures, expanding tariffs beyond the current $40 billion in affected American goods. Joly called for Canada and the EU to apply "maximum pressure" on Washington, noting that "Trump respects force." "We believe countermeasures on duties are the best way to reach a good deal," she added.
Joly suggested that only the American people could change Trump’s approach, stressing the need to make US citizens understand that his tariffs effectively act as a "consumption tax" on them.
Her comments came after Trump announced on April 2 the imposition of import tariffs - a minimum 10% rate on goods from 185 countries and territories, with higher targeted duties for some. Following the announcement, the US market saw a sharp downturn.