European shares ticked higher on Friday, as investors bet on de-escalation in the trade war ahead of discussions between the U.S. and China over the weekend.

China has been ignoring the European Union’s concerns over trade issues for the past two decades, the bloc’s top envoy said, underscoring the challenges Beijing faces in its campaign to warm ties between the two sides.

U.S. stocks opened the session higher on news China and the U.S. will begin trade talks later this week in Switzerland.