Juncker to Trump: US, EU are 'close partners, not enemies'

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said today the United States and EU were "not enemies" as he began talks with US President Donald Trump aimed at defusing trade tensions between the two key economies.

Trump said he expected "something very positive to take place" during the White House talks -- after sending a series of tweets blasting Europe for unfair treatment of US exports.

With the United States threatening to impose punishing new tariffs on EU auto exports, Juncker said: "We are close partners, allies -- not enemies." "We have to work together. We are representing half of world trade," the European leader said.

"I think we have to talk to one another and not at one another," Juncker said as he sat next to Trump in the Oval Office, thanking the US leader for "taking the initiative to invite us to the White House."
Trump crowed yesterday that his latest threat had brought Europe to the negotiating table and called on both sides to "drop all Tariffs, Barriers and Subsidies!"