The European Union is urging the United States to cut red tape and simplify rules for the export of its liquefied natural gas if Washington wants the 28-nation bloc to buy more.

Amid a trade dispute over tariffs, President Donald Trump and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed last month to start talks intended to achieve "zero tariffs" and "zero subsidies" on non-automotive industrial goods.

The EU also agreed to build more terminals to import US liquefied natural gas.

Juncker said Thursday that if it's cheap enough, US gas could help the EU diversify energy supplies and break its dependency on Russia.

But he said "the US needs to play its role in doing away with red tape restrictions."

Senior EU and US trade officials meet in Washington on Aug. 20.