- First cruise ship crosses Strait of Hormuz since war began |
- MDBs stress co-op support global stability amid uncertainty |
- PM opens first Hajj flight, visits Ashkona camp |
- River ports asked to hoist cautionary signal No 1 |
- Oil prices drop 9% & Wall Street rallies to a record after Iran reopens Hormuz |
Macron Urges EU to Defend Interests in Tariff Dispute
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose 30-percent tariffs on European goods, urging the European Union to "resolutely defend European interests" in the face of escalating trade tensions.
Speaking ahead of high-stakes negotiations, Macron called on the EU to accelerate preparations for "credible countermeasures" should talks with Washington fail to yield a resolution before the August 1 deadline, when the tariffs are set to take effect.
"The European Union must not hesitate to mobilize all instruments at its disposal to protect our economic sovereignty," Macron said, emphasizing unity and firmness as key to confronting what he described as unjustified protectionism.
The warning adds to mounting pressure on Brussels, which has been scrambling to defuse a potential transatlantic trade conflict while safeguarding key industries and economic stability within the bloc.