A European leader has spoken about the continent's experience with economic dependence on a major trading partner. This dependence led to a weakening of Europe's industrial base. The leader expressed regret over underestimating the risks associated with such dependencies.

A comment was made about a neighbouring country that benefited from certain trade practices. Further details about this situation are available from the source.

The comments were made during a visit to a country where the leader spoke at a business event, discussing economic dependencies and their impact.