Duties, Bessent: 'More than 50 countries want to negotiate with US'. Von der Leyen to Starmer: 'We negotiate, ready to respond'

Russia has not been included in the list of countries against which the US is imposing tariffs, as Washington is currently engaged in negotiations with Moscow to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. This was stated by Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council.

"Obviously, there is a negotiation going on with Russia and Ukraine and I think President [Donald Trump] has made the decision not to confuse the two issues. That doesn't mean that Russia will be treated completely differently than any other country," Hassett said.

President Donald Trump and his administration are "building the long-term economic foundations for prosperity", "I don't see any reason why we should price a recession". Thus US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during an interview with Nbc News dismissed Americans' concerns about a possible impending recession and the state of their pension plans. Bessent called it a "false narrative" that Americans nearing retirement may be reticent to do so after their retirement savings may have dwindled this week due to the stock market crash.

"Americans who want to retire now, Americans who have been setting aside for years in their savings accounts, I think they don't look at the day-to-day fluctuations," he said, stressing that "people have a long-term view." Yesterday, rumours had circulated in some American newspapers of Bessent's possible imminent resignation, due to diverging views on economic matters with President Trump. Rumours that so far have not been substantiated, on the contrary, the Treasury Secretary seems to be aligned with the president's vision.

Bessent said it was up to Donald Trump to decide whether or not to negotiate on tariffs, but cautioned against expecting quick deals. "Well, I think it will be President Trump's decision to I can tell you that, as only he knows how to do at the moment, he has created maximum leverage for himself. And more than 50 countries have approached the administration to lower their non-tariff trade barriers, lower their tariffs, stop the currency manipulation. And, you know, they've been bad actors for a long time. And it's not the kind of thing you can negotiate in days or weeks." Bessent also downplayed the potential of tariffs to cause inflation, saying there is a difference between a 'one-off price adjustment' as a result of higher import taxes and 'constant' price increases. He also called the fall in the stock market an 'adjustment' that does not necessarily mean we are approaching a recession. "Who knows how the market will react in a day, in a week? What we are looking at is building long-term economic fundamentals for prosperity,' he said.

More than 50 countries have contacted the White House to negotiate on trade after the announcement of tariffs by President Donald Trump. This was announced by the director of the White House National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, in statements to ABC News. These countries are trying to come forward 'because they understand that they're the ones who have to shoulder the bulk of the tariffs,' he explained.