According to the Financial Times, the United States has threatened to impose a 17 percent tariff on European Union agricultural exports, sharply escalating its trade conflict with the European Union, three sources said. The last-minute demand was made by the United States ahead of a July 9 deadline to reach a trade deal. The United States said it would impose a 20 percent tariff on all European Union goods if no deal was reached. European Union Trade Commissioner Sefcovic received the request at a meeting in Washington on Thursday and forwarded it to ambassadors from the 27 member states on Friday. European Union Commission President Von der Leyen said on Thursday she wanted an "agreement in principle" that would allow the two sides to continue negotiations before reaching a final agreement. But Washington is pushing for countries to reach a binding agreement by a deadline set by Trump.