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BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� European trade ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday, following U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 surprise announcement of 30% tariffs on the European Union.

The EU is America鈥檚 biggest business partner and the world鈥檚 largest trading bloc. The U.S. decision will have repercussions for governments, companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 impose countermeasures at this stage, but we should prepare to be ready to use all the tools in the toolbox,鈥� said Denmark鈥檚 foreign minister, Lars L酶kke Rasmussen, told reporters ahead of the meeting. 鈥淪o we want a deal, but there鈥檚 an old saying: 鈥橧f you want peace, you have to prepare for war.’鈥�

The tariffs, also imposed on Mexico, are set to start on Aug. 1 and could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the U.S., and destabilize economies from Portugal to Norway.

Meanwhile, Brussels decided to suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods scheduled to take effect Monday in hopes of reaching a trade deal with the Trump administration by the end of the month.

The 鈥渃ountermeasures鈥� by the EU, which negotiates trade deals on behalf of its 27 member countries, will be delayed until Aug. 1.

Trump鈥檚 letter shows 鈥渢hat we have until the first of August鈥� to negotiate, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels on Sunday.

The letters to the EU and Mexico come in the midst of an on-and-off Trump threat to impose tariffs on countries and right an imbalance in trade.

Trump in April imposed tariffs on dozens of countries, before pausing them for 90 days to negotiate individual deals. As the three-month grace period ended this week, he began sending tariff letters to leaders but again has pushed back the implementation day for what he says will be just a few more weeks.

If he moves forward with the tariffs, it could have ramifications for nearly every aspect of the global economy.

In the wake of the new tariffs, European leaders largely closed ranks, calling for unity but also a steady hand to not provoke further acrimony.

Just last week, Europe was cautiously optimistic.

Officials told reporters on Friday they weren’t expecting a letter like the one sent Saturday and that a trade deal was to be inked in 鈥渢he coming days.” For months, the EU has broadcast that it has strong retaliatory measures ready if talks fail.

Reeling from successive rebukes from Washington, the EU is now diversifying its economic, political and defense networks, mostly in Asia.

The EU top brass will visit Beijing fora summit later this month while courting other Pacific nations like South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, whose prime minister visited Brussels over the weekend to sign a new economic partnership with the EU. It also has mega-deals in the works with Mexico and a trading bloc of South American nations known as Mercosur.

While meeting with Indonesia’s prime minister on Sunday, Von der Leyen said that 鈥渨hen economic uncertainty meets geopolitical volatility, partners like us must come closer together.鈥�