The European Commission is scrambling to defend the trade deal struck by Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump amid mounting criticism over its lopsided nature, arguing the tentative compromise represents the most realistic chance to avert a havoc-wreaking tariff war between the two sides of the Atlantic.
"This is clearly the best deal we could get under very difficult circumstances," Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commissioner for Trade, said at a press conference on Monday.
