Relations between Washington and Brussels are moving in the "right direction" under the leadership of President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Union Ambassador to the United States Jovita Neliupsiene said in an interview.
"I think that they are going the very right direction because we had a meeting of Commission President von der Leyen and President Trump in Scotland, in D.C., and on the margins of the NATO summit as well," Neliupsiene said.
"So I think that it's really pretty clear that there are a lot of issues to be discussed."
"We have the most developed trade and investment relations. We have security alliances working," she said. "And I think that we are closer value-based allies than you can find around the world."
The centerpiece of the renewed partnership is a trade pact signed in August at Trump's Turnberry golf club in Scotland.
Trump called the agreement a "great deal for both" sides, and Neliupsiene described it as the largest trade deal ever reached, covering up to 45% of global gross domestic product.
"We legislated on the car tariffs to bring the mostly automotive tariffs for American cars down," she said, noting that the U.S. followed with an executive order reducing tariffs across the board by 15%.
Neliupsiene pointed out that "trade relations" are nearly $2 trillion per year.
"So it's massive — EU and U.S. to each other," she said.
She added that the pact includes major commitments on energy and semiconductor cooperation, with Europe set to spend up to $46 billion on U.S. chips.
Neliupsiene also emphasized the alignment between Trump and von der Leyen on Ukraine, citing a White House meeting this summer with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following Trump's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The most important element and the most important message is actually the peace," she said, stressing European support for sanctions against Russia and continued U.S. defense aid to Kyiv.
She noted that Trump's idea of using tariffs against buyers of Russian oil and gas had gained traction.
The ambassador credited Trump for pressuring NATO members to increase defense spending years ago and said the alliance is now committing to spending 5% of its GDP.
"I think that he was absolutely right at that moment. It's a pity that not everybody picked up at that moment," she said, adding that current European defense commitments could exceed $1 trillion within five years.
Beyond Europe, Neliupsiene said the EU is reviewing Trump's proposal to end the war in Gaza, which Hamas has conditionally accepted.
She said Europeans are prepared to support reconstruction efforts through institution-building and development aid.
On migration, the ambassador drew parallels between Europe's approach and Trump's policies, stressing new legal frameworks, border security technology, and investment in Africa to address root causes.
"It's not very far away, actually, from the American approach," she said.
While deferring on whether Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, Neliupsiene underscored Europe's support for his push to resolve global conflicts.
"It's extremely important to put all our efforts in order to geopolitically calm down the conflicts," she said.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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