On the way to today's meeting with her EU colleagues, the Minister of Finance is urging caution.
We should remain calm – because we have bigger problems to handle than tariffs. The EU has problems with growth and productivity. We can take our fate into our own hands, she says.
Donald Trump's speech and actions since taking office have not surprised her so far.
But it's a bit worrying that he didn't mention support for Ukraine, because that will continue to be needed, Svantesson believes.
The Minister of Finance sees a clear consensus in the EU on the importance of maintaining good relations with the USA. And she is not at all sure that Trump will actually implement such harsh tariffs against Europe as he threatened during the election campaign last year.
We still don't know what will happen. When I met many economists and politicians in the USA in December, they actually all believed that this is part of a negotiating game, says Svantesson in Brussels.
