Pyongyang, August 2 (KCNA) -- Ri Chol Hyok, an international affairs analyst, issued the following article titled "The 'best result' caused by following to the U.S.":

Leyen, president of the European Commission, met with the U.S. president at the golf resort in Turnberry in Scotland on July 27, and announced a framework agreement between the European Union and the United States on tariff issue.

According to it, the U.S. imposes 15 percent tariff to EU products while keeping 50 percent tariff on EU steel and aluminum products intact, whereas the EU should purchase large quantities of American military equipment in addition to US liquefied gas and oil worth 750 billion US dollars in the next three years and invest 600 billion US dollars in the U.S.

In this regard, Leyen praised and estimated herself that the agreement is the "best result" the EU can achieve under the present situation and that it will bring stabilization to the trade relations between the EU and the U.S. in the future.

Then, as Leyen says, can the agreement be considered to have really benefited the EU?

Shortly after the announcement of the agreement, the U.S. shouted with exultation that it got 99.9 percent of what it asked for.

On the contrary, the gloomy voices of persons of all walks of life are heard and seen through media of Europe across the Atlantic Ocean.

The French prime minister deplored that the day when the unequal agreement was reached, in which15 percent tariff is imposed on European products whereas the American products are exempted from tariff, was the "gloomy day" when the EU bowed its head to the U.S. pressure.

The German chancellor, who insisted on a prompt tariff agreement even by making a concession to the U.S., admitted that the current agreement would bring serious negative consequences to Germany's export-oriented economy, and the Italian prime minister dwelled on grievance that whether the agreement is positive or not can be judged only when knowing its detailed items.

The Polish prime minister expressed concern that the new U.S. tariffs on European products could cost Poland around 2.1 billion US dollars, the Hungarian prime minister ridiculed that "Trump had eaten Leyen for breakfast" and the Hungarian foreign minister strongly insisted on an immediate replacement of the EU leadership.

The chairman of the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament expressed strong dissatisfaction, saying that the result of the recent negotiation can not be called the victory of the EU and it is not a praiseworthy diplomatic achievement and that the recent agreement does not favor with the fundamental interests of Europe as it is an unilateral concession of the EU, not the cooperation in trade for mutual benefit and co-prosperity. This can be construed as the reflection of the public sentiment of Europe.

Under this situation, the economic circles of Germany, the first economic giant of Europe, are complaining that the German automobile industry will suffer a loss of billions of U.S. dollars every year due to the 15 % U.S. tariff on vehicles from Europe, and 70,000 jobs to the maximum can disappear at home.

Meanwhile, an economic analysis agency in the West predicted that the recent tariff agreement would reduce the GDP of the EU by 0.5 percent in the future.

European media criticize sharply the agreement every day, noting that it is a bitter defeat for the EU which has revealed its incompetence and weakness nakedly.

As commented by media and experts, every economic burden resulting from the tariff agreement is bound to be placed on European consumers and it is as clear as noonday that the inhabitants in distress for their livelihood will face more difficulties.

The recent tariff agreement between the EU and the U.S. that can be characterized by inequality and humiliation is not a result of imbalance in trade relations or tariff dispute between countries but an inevitable product of the Europe's habitual blind belief in the U.S. and its policy on submission to the U.S. from A to Z.

It is by no means fortuitous that viewing the present relations between both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, a U.S. medium noted that the "devotion" of Europe to the U.S. has made the European continent miserable, adding with pity and jeer that Europe should develop its strategic thinking ability again and learn a method of protecting its rights.

Being heard in Europe are the voices of the belated regret of those calling upon Europe to come to its senses and reduce the military and technical dependence on the U.S., saying that the recent agreement is the "humiliation of the EU and the reflection of the power imbalance".

The EU, though belatedly, should realize that dependence on the U.S. is the main cause of losing its international position. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2025.08.02.)