It still makes no difference: in the bully pattern of behaviour early concessions just increase the likelihood and intensity of latter violence, since they’re read by the bully as proof of weakness hence the victim is seen as less likely to be able to violently reciprocate.

Note how the whole Greenland Invasion thing, which came after the whole strong-arming and concessions on Trade interaction, was only walked back after several large European nations started deploying trigger forces to Greenland and planning for a military confrontation with the US.

The EU leadership originally displayed the same kind of reaction to Russian aggression at a point were Russia was back to following a logic of “Might makes right” in Crimea and with Georgia (same mindset as the US under Trump) and that led to the recent invasion and attempt at full conquest of Ukraine, so how long does it takes for those crooks to learn the lesson that certain kinds of leaders in very nationalist countries only ever respond to actual pain and proof of Might (not necessarilly purelly of the Military kind) and see attempts at finding a common ground as weakness.

I mean, any half way competent leadership of a large nation of trade block should have had Psychological Profiles made on at least the leaders of major nations.