In an interview on Euronews' morning show, Europe Today, MEP Brando Benifei said diplomatic solutions to avoid a trade war "need to be used to the end".

Brussels

Italian MEP Brando Benifei discussed the escalating trade tensions between the European Union and the United States, attributing the situation to recent threats and actions by President Trump, including those affecting Greenland, a NATO country. Benifei highlighted that the EU values its relationship with the US but must respond credibly to protect its interests, suggesting that deterrence measures such as tariffs could be activated if diplomatic efforts fail.

Benifei stated that freezing the EU–US trade deal is now inevitable as the US threatens extra tariffs and fails to meet its commitments. He noted that a scheduled European Parliament vote on the trade agreement will be put on hold, expressing hope for a return to normal relations but stressing the need for seriousness and clear consequences in the current climate.

Freezing EU–US trade deal 'inevitable', Italian MEP Benifei says

Mr. Benefe, thank you so much for joining us here live on Europe Today. Thank you, good morning. So look, if President Trump does follow through with his threats, we're looking at a full-blown trade war. What will that mean for Europeans? Well, we are brought in this direction by the escalation that was built by President Trump. We do not want to be here. We have been always clear. We value the transatlantic relationship. We want good relations with the United States. But what is happening in these days is crossing another red line. In fact, it's threatening a NATO country. Greenland is part of Denmark. And so I think a very important thing is that whatever deterrence measures we propose, which can be further tariffs in case Trump goes on with his intent or the anti-coercion instrument that will damage U.S. economy, the important thing is that we are clear what are the conditions for this to be activated. My experience working on the relations with the U.S. is that we are not credible if we just say we are ready to use measures, but we do not clearly, calmly say what are the conditions for that to be triggered. And in my view, we should set a clear deadline. If in a few weeks we do not have clarity and an agreement on the future of Greenland, I think we need to be clear that the measures will be activated. Because now, of course, the EU is choosing diplomacy over these punitive tools. Why is now not the moment to use these tough trade measures, Mr. Benefi? Well, I think that any tentative to still have a diplomatic solution must be used until the very end. But there must be an end. The problem of Europe is that this end of the tentative to find a diplomatic solution sometimes seems to never end. And this is profited by, in this case, the U.S. who think we are not credible, we are not serious about the possible consequences. So I think we need to be clear that there would be very bad consequences for the U.S. economy if Trump administration goes in that direction. And I know, because of my work, that many in the Congress are on our safe side. I hope and I wish that many more voices in the U.S. Congress will raise to say that this madness has to end and that we need to sit down and work together as allies. And indeed, we've seen, of course, volatility this morning on the financial markets. Our viewers back home exactly concerned as well, worried about the impact this could have on them. But many, of course, calling as well for the EU-U.S. trade deal to be frozen, to be put on hold. That could be a strong move the Europeans could play here. Yeah, I think that's inevitable, because as extra tariffs are being threatened, the agreement in this moment seems to be not fulfilled from the U.S. side. There should never be such a threat of further tariffs because of the presence of military from a certain state in Greenland. But this is what we heard from President Trump. So inevitably, the vote that was foreseen next week in the trade committee of the European Parliament to actually advance the deal will be frozen. I'm sure this will be the result. I hope that we will be able to resume this work soon and that the relations go back to normal. But this is not the situation today, and I think we need to be very serious. Indeed, Brando Benefe. Thank you so much for joining us this morning.

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