Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said unjustified tariffs would prompt "proportionate and decisive countermeasures", echoing her vow on Tuesday of a "firm and proportionate" response to Trump's decision to impose tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.

French President Emmanuel Macron, in an interview with the Financial Times has described Donald Trump’s return to power as an “electroshock” for the EU and a moment “to accelerate and execute”, warning that otherwise the project is at risk of failure: “It has no choice.

"Any agreement without us will fail, because you need Europe and Ukraine to also implement the agreement," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. "Any quick fix is a dirty deal." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said: "Nothing can be discussed on Ukraine without Ukraine or on Europe without Europe.