European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and former US President Donald Trump are set to meet in Scotland on Sunday, just days ahead of a critical deadline for the imposition of new US tariffs on European Union imports.
The high-stakes meeting will take place at Trump Turnberry in Scotland, where Trump spent Saturday playing golf. The encounter follows weeks of tense trade negotiations between Brussels and Washington.
Trump has previously indicated that there is a 50-50 chance of securing a trade agreement with the EU, expressing conditional openness to delaying or modifying the proposed tariffs.
The proposed US tariffs, set at 30 percent on a range of European exports—are scheduled to take effect on August 1. The measures are part of Washington's response to what it claims are persistent trade imbalances with the bloc.
However, the former president has left room for negotiation, suggesting the possibility of reducing or waiving the tariffs if the EU agrees to further open its markets to American goods and services.
The European Commission has been working intensively to avoid the implementation of higher duties, which would significantly impact key European industries.
A spokesperson for von der Leyen stated that the meeting would allow both leaders to assess the current situation and explore a potential balanced outcome that would offer stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently hinted that a breakthrough in the trade dispute may be imminent. Trump has already struck a separate deal with Japan, agreeing to a 15 percent tariff—far below the rate originally proposed.
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