Monday, February 10, 2025 - The European Union will retaliate by replicating any tariffs imposed on it by the United States, the French foreign minister said on Monday, warning Washington against a trade war.
"There is no hesitation when it comes to defending our
interests," Jean-Noel Barrot said in an interview with TF1 after US
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, February 9, that Washington will
move this week to impose 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminium products.
Asked whether France and the European Union would retaliate against the
measures announced by Trump, Barrot said: "Of course. It's not a surprise.
This is already what Donald Trump did in 2018" (during his first term as
president).
"At that time we replicated. So we will replicate again this
time," he said.
Asked what measures of retaliation would be agreed, Barrot replied that
it was up to the European commission to decide what sectors would be targeted.
"No one has an interest in entering into a trade war with the
European Union," he warned.
The tariffs on steel and aluminium imports were the latest in a slew of
trade levies the US leader has announced that have raised fears of a global
trade war.
French President Emmanuel Macron told CNN that the EU should not be a
"top priority" for the United States after Trump's repeated threats
to target the bloc.
"Is the European Union your first problem? No, I don't think so. Your first problem is China, so you should focus on the first problem," he said, adding that the EU must be ready to react to US actions.
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