The European Union (EU) has lost ground in trade disputes with China amid the latter and the United States (US) seeking to resolve major trade and economic disagreements, analysts say, Politico reports.

The easing of tensions in US-China relations could give European leaders an opportunity to develop strategies regarding trade, raw materials, and the conflict in Ukraine. However, the warming of relations between the aforesaid two major powers pushes Europeans to the margins.

Fears that European industry could suffer long-term and irreversible damage due to trade disputes have prompted Brussels to adopt a more conciliatory approach in this confrontation, placing the emphasis on engagement and dialogue rather than punitive measures.

However, Chinese officials are opposed to the slow and uncoordinated pace of negotiations with the EU. As a result, according to Jeremy Chan, a senior analyst on the China and Northeast Asia team at Eurasia Group, China has ruled out Europe from its list of priorities. The EU is, at best, a secondary, perhaps even a tertiary factor, and may not be considered at all in negotiations by either Washington or Beijing, he told Politico.