Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to resolve the escalating trade dispute with the United States.

According to Qatar News Agency, Merz stated in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD that he had held in-depth discussions on the issue earlier in the week with President Macron and President von der Leyen. He noted that the three leaders intended to use the remaining two and a half weeks until August 1 to work toward a solution and emphasized his full commitment to reaching an agreement.

The remarks follow US President Donald Trump's announcement yesterday of new tariffs of up to 30 percent on imports from the European Union and Mexico, set to take effect on August 1.

In response, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced today that the EU will extend the suspension of its planned counter-tariffs on US goods until early August.