The European Union and Japan have signed a free trade deal that will create the world’s largest open economic area. It will also hand Donald Trump’s growing band of domestic critics yet more ammunition by turning his hated rival Barack Obama’s trade strategy, drafted to combat Russian aggression, against the US president.
On Monday, the US president defended Vladimir Putin from accusations of meddling in the US elections. He was accused of treason by leading Republicans on Monday for taking Mr Putin’s word over that of US intelligence agencies at the Helsinki summit with the Russian leader.
On Tuesday, the EU, which Mr Trump has described as his “foe”, stepped up the pressure by signing the…