‘Trump has smeared Europe,’ 'further deindustrialization': Russian officials react to EU-US trade deal

ISTANBUL

- A Russian official on Monday assessed the recent trade deal inked between Brussels and Washington, arguing that US President Donald Trump has “smeared” Europe with the signing of the agreement.

“Trump has smeared Europe. It must be admitted that, despite his extreme inconsistency in statements and actions, he is quite consistent in one thing. Trump is harshly pushing through the economic interests of his country,” Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on Telegram.

The agreement, announced on Sunday, will see the US impose a 15% import tariff on most EU goods, half the threatened rate of 30%. The bloc will invest $600 billion in the US, and purchase $750 billion in American energy and military equipment.

Arguing that the deal is “completely humiliating” for Europeans because it “only benefits the United States,” Medvedev, who is a former Russian president and prime minister, said the agreement creates huge additional costs for industry and agriculture in many EU countries, and redirects a powerful flow of investment from Europe to the US.

He also described the deal as “clearly anti-Russian in nature” because it prohibits the purchase of Russian oil and gas.

Neither the US nor EU authorities immediately commented on the statement.

- 'Deindustrialization

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, addressing a forum in the Moscow region, said the agreement will lead to the "further deindustrialization" of Europe.

"It is clear that such an approach will lead to further deindustrialization of Europe, to the outflow of investments from Europe to the US, and this will be a very strong blow, first of all, to energy prices, an outflow of investments for European industry, European agriculture," Lavrov said.