European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has reiterated that the agreement on tariffs between the EU and the US was a “conscious decision” that avoided a trade war, Euronews reports.

“Imagine for a moment if the two largest economies in the democratic world had failed to reach an agreement and had started a trade war. This would have been celebrated only in Moscow and Beijing,” von der Leyen said.

The agreement with the Trump administration also grants other trade guarantees to Europe, she continued, but assured how the EU is seeking to diversify its export markets.

"We have recently concluded trade agreements with Mexico and Mercosur [i.e. the single market of South American countries] and deepened relations with Switzerland and the UK. And we have concluded our talks with Indonesia and aim to reach an agreement with India by the end of the year," recalled the president of the European Commission.

In conclusion, von der Leyen called for a "strong and independent" Europe, urging it to "complete the single market" and "strengthen competitiveness and sustainability."