BERLIN: Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck says the premise of US President Donald Trump's wide-ranging tariffs is nonsense, and he is arguing that Europe is in a strong position.
Habeck, who is also vice chancellor in Germany's outgoing government, said as he arrived at a meeting of European Union trade ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.
The minister added that he and his colleagues must act calmly, prudently but also clearly and with determination. He also said that means being clear that we are in a strong position America is in a position of weakness.
He argued that we don't have time pressure now, but the US does."
Habeck said it's important for the EU to stick together, arguing that attempts by individual countries to win exemptions haven't worked in the past.
He stressed the importance of trade agreements and contacts with other regions of the world, such as South America, Asia and the Pacific.
The German minister said of Trump's tariffs that even the basis of the calculation is nonsense. The assumption that a trade budget surplus or deficit is a problem in itself is a wrong estimation."
