While US President Donald Trump has called several free trade agreements into question, the chargé d'affaires at the US mission to the EU, Adam Shub, seemed optimistic on Tuesday 21 March as to the continuation of the negotiations for an EU-US free trade agreement (TTIP).
"The new US administration is reviewing TTIP. I believe one has to be an optimist", he told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee. Shub stated that such an agreement would not be concluded "between two small countries, but between the two biggest, richest, most innovative economies" in the world.
Shub also spoke about Russia. "It's a critical issue for all of us", he said, adding that Moscow's aggressive policy aimed at having political and economic results in the Eastern countries, in the EU member states and even beyond. "Russia is not giving any sign of a change in direction", he regretted. "It is crucial, imperative (...) that the Europeans and the US and the EU remain shoulder to shoulder in relation to Russia. That applies to the military aspects, Ukraine, the Middle East and to managing this kind of non-linear hybrid war (disinformation, influence in electoral processes) more effectively", Shub stated, saying that he wanted Europeans and Americans to remain united on the sanctions. "There is support beyond the political divides for these sanctions in Washington", he said. According to Shub, the US is also following the two EU-Russia issues closely: the North Stream 2 gas pipeline project, and the agreement with Gazprom.
To try and reassure the Europeans, Shub said that US policy was not decided unilaterally at the White House. "Congress is very experienced and involved. It plays a huge legal role in trade and is the guardian of investors, consumers and exporters", he said.
Elsewhere, an official from the US administration announced on Tuesday 21 March that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would not be present at the ministerial meeting in Brussels on 5 and 6 April, but would be replaced by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)