Jean -Claude Jonker says that the European Union is very slow to avoid Donald Trump’s war.

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Jean -Claude Jonker, the former European Commission President, succeeded him, Ursula von der Lin, for not being involved in person to avoid trade war by Donald Trump quickly.

“I think the committee was better to try to hold a meeting as soon as possible, because it could have returned to the issue of (trade),” Jonker told the Financial Times.

“There will be no deal without an active presence of the Chairman of the Committee,” added a speaker in his office in Brussels five floors below Lynn‘s.

The US President this year is re -imposed Definitions In the European Union steel and aluminum he presented in its first term, which Jonker was able to suspend in 2018 by promising that the bloc will buy more American gas and soybeans. Trump also threatened to impose a 50 percent tax on all European Union imports if the current trade talks with Brussels fail by July 9.

Jonker said he saw Trump at least seven times before the deal was concluded in 2018.

On the contrary, Von Der Leyen did not have a bilateral meeting dedicated to discussing the trade conflict, and instead only briefly to Trump on the sidelines of international events such as the funeral of Pope Francis in April or the World Economic Forum in Davos in January. She participates in the 7 Group Summit in Canada on Monday, which Trump is also attending, but Brussels officials were not sure whether they will discuss trade on the margin.

Juncker admitted that it was “more difficult” for Von Der Leyen because Trump’s hostility towards Europe is more clear and reduces flights abroad compared to his first term. Jonker said that the mandate of the talks to the Trade Commissioner, Marus šefčovič, was a mistake.

“It seems to me to be somewhat actor,” said former Prime Minister Luxembourg. But the American president was now saying in public places what he had previously claimed behind closed doors, such as accusing the European Union had been prepared for the United States.

Junker said that the committee officials have sinned in their strategy, by promising to impose a reprisal tariff on American goods worth 26 billion euros, including alcohol – that member states quickly rebelled for fear of the United States for threatening to put the 200 percent fees on European wine and lives. In the end, the committee brought down the whiskey and other elements of its list, which only targeted 21 billion euros, which were also suspended, pending negotiations.

“I don’t know if this is a sign of weakness, but it is a sign of weak preparation because these special sanctions could have been replaced by others who had the same goal,” Jonker said.

On the contrary, Jonker recalled that “he had a list of countries governed by Republican rulers, so I wanted to strike him as his colleagues in the United States would not be happy. He made him difficult. He succeeded.”

European Union officials say they are working on a list of 95 billion euros of American goods in the event of the failure of the talks, although they admit that it is also possible to be reduced by national pressure.

Brussels tried to copy the successful Juncker offer to reduce the trade deficit by buying more American goods, but this did not leave much impression of the Trump administration this time.

While the committee officials cannot buy commodities directly, Jonker said, “People here and other places are in contact with the players on the market, and they tell them that they should make this effort, and they did.”

He said that the imports of soybeans “increased by 418 percent during the six months that followed the agreement.”

When asked how to deal with Trump, he said that you must “respect” and “talk to him in a polite way, and not to imitate the way he is talking to you.”

However, leaders must defend their interests. “It respects you if you are not on your knees. I have the impression that there are European governments that you want to satisfy.”

Jonker recalled that Trump described him as a “brutal killer” and “a strong man.” “You have to respect him because you need to respect him.”

US President von der Lin described “wonderful” after he met her shortly in Rome at the papal funeral. However, the talks have since stopped and Trump threatened to impose a 50 percent tariff instead of 20 percent, accusing Brussels “slow walking” in negotiations.