After three years spent trying to deter Russia from destroying Ukraine, European Union leaders grappled on Monday with how to respond to a major ally who appears determined to start a trade war or even seize part of their territory.

EU must stand ‘firm and united’ in face of Trump’s tariff threats, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said - Anadolu Ajansı

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Europe has the capacity to react to new US tariffs if President Donald Trump follows through on his recent threats, joining a chorus of European leaders pledging to retaliate if necessary.

While EU leaders were trying to remind the Trump administration about the economic value of EU-US trade, they now widely agree that the correct answer to tariffs should be to retaliate with the same measures if necessary.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European leaders warned on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to expand tariffs to the EU risked igniting a trade war that would harm consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

EU leaders meeting in Brussels Monday warned there would be no winners in a trade war with the United States, insisting they would hit back if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs. French President Emmanuel Macron said the European Union must show its muscle if US President Donald Trump makes good on his threat to target the bloc with a volley of tariffs.