According to Golden Finance, German Chancellor-elect Merz said that Trump's tariff policy increased the risk of the financial crisis and advocated the conclusion of a US-EU free trade agreement. "I hope to reach a new transatlantic free trade agreement that imposes zero tariffs on everything, which is good for both sides," he said. The EU has proposed a "zero-to-zero" reciprocal tariff on US industrial products. Trump told reporters on Monday that the proposal was not enough, and he suggested that Europe should offset tariffs by purchasing U.S. energy. Mertz said that if the United States decides to withdraw from global trade altogether, Europe will have to focus on the non-U.S. market. "Trump policy is increasing the risk of the next financial crisis coming early. We Europeans need to come up with convincing measures," Mertz said.