Warsaw, Feb 3 (IANS): Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on the European Union (EU) to remain united as the bloc faces the threat of a trade war with the United States.

Speaking in Brussels on Monday during an EU leaders' meeting, Tusk warned that trade tensions with Washington would be a cruel paradox for Europe, emphasising the need for solidarity in navigating the challenges posed by its closest ally.

"This is perhaps the first such test of the solidarity and unity of the European Union in a very unusual situation when we are dealing with such a series of surprises and surprises from our closest ally," Tusk was quoted as saying by Polish Press Agency.

He stressed the need for "common sense, calmness, and responsibility" in addressing potential trade conflicts. "We must be able to take care of our relations with the U.S., but we must also have a sense of our own dignity and strength. We must undoubtedly be unquestionably united," he added, Xinhua news agency reported.

The United States is the EU's largest trade partner, with European countries primarily exporting pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and advanced machinery to the United States.

In 2023, the EU recorded a trade surplus of 85.6 billion euros (88.68 billion US dollars) with the United States, according to Eurostat. However, US President Donald Trump has criticised the trade imbalance, citing the US-EU trade deficit of 213 billion US dollars in 2024. He has called the deficit an "atrocity" and vowed with "full certainty" to impose tariffs on EU goods.

Calling trade wars "a complete mistake," Tusk described the situation as "one of the cruelest paradoxes" for the EU, given its alliance with the United States. He expressed hope that the EU's "firm, clear, friendly" stance would be heard by the American administration.