The European Union “will respond” to new tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump on US steel and aluminium imports, as it did during the Republican’s first term in the White House, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said today.

“It’s something Donald Trump did in 2018 and we responded. We will respond again,” Barrot pointed out, speaking to the TF1 television network when asked about the new tariffs.

“There is no hesitation when it comes to defending our interests,” he stressed.

The French minister also added that the European Commission has a mandate to act in this direction.

“The Commission is ready to pull the trigger when the time comes. Now the time has come. It is in nobody’s interest to start a trade war with the EU,” Barrot assessed.