Brussels: The new trade deal between the United States and the European Union (EU) may ease tensions on paper, but in practice it adds financial pressure and strategic strain on Europe, said Hussein Askary, vice chairman of the Belt and Road Institute in Sweden.

According to Namibia Press Agency, U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a trade deal under which the United States will impose a baseline tariff of 15 percent on EU goods. In an interview with Xinhua following the announcement, Askary expressed concerns that the EU was coerced into a "compromise" that it neither desired nor truly benefited from.

"Fifteen percent is still high for European companies that are used to a freer trade environment," Askary mentioned. He added that while this compromise might be accepted, it does not imply satisfaction among European stakeholders.

The new agreement compels the EU to purchase 750 billion U.S. dollars' worth of American energy and commit an additional 600 billion dollars in investments in the United States. Askary argued that these terms are detrimental to Europe's economic priorities.

"We are sacrificing other aspects of our economic agenda -- infrastructure, healthcare, and education -- in order to afford expensive American liquefied gas and other goods," he explained. He highlighted that economies like Sweden and Germany, which heavily rely on exports, are particularly vulnerable to such policy shifts.

Askary also emphasized the disruption caused by the United States' unpredictable trade strategy on transatlantic business, pointing out the need for the free flow of goods, services, and capital to ensure long-term planning, investment, and continuity.