Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday morning.
Rubio is in Brussels for a NATO foreign ministers' meeting on Friday, and requested a meeting with the Belgian leader. The two officials discussed defence spending, geopolitical challenges, and drug trafficking.
However, the primary focus was the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump and the substantial hikes in global tariffs, with the EU facing a 20% increase.
"I expressed our nation's hope that the unfortunate trade dispute between the US and Europe will soon end. Let us maintain and strengthen the transatlantic partnership and free trade relations that have ensured the safety and prosperity of the Western world throughout recent history," De Wever stated on X.
Today I welcomed Secretary of State @SecRubio.
Our country has a long tradition of working together with the US. We continue to share important priorities, for instance when it comes to strenghtening the defense capacity of @NATO, a long list of geopolitical challenges and the… pic.twitter.com/1wV3ovu35K — Bart De Wever (@Bart_DeWever) April 4, 2025
Prime Minister De Wever underscored the significance of transatlantic dialogue.
"There are sometimes disagreements between Europe and the US. I deeply regret the current trade dispute. However, this face-to-face meeting clearly demonstrates our American allies' commitment to continuing and potentially enhancing their cooperation in the future," he affirmed.
