France and its partners will not yield to U.S. threats, says French trade minister

Empty barrels for the next harvest are shown in the cave of champagne producer Anselme Selosse in Avize, in the Champagne region, east of Paris, on July 28, 2020. (Francois Mori / AP Photo)

PARIS — France and its partners, such as the European Union, will not yield to U.S. tariff threats and France will protect its industries, said French trade minister Laurent Saint Martin on Thursday.

“Donald Trump is launching the escalation in the trade war he chose to start. France remains determined to respond with the European Commission and our partners,” Saint-Martin wrote on X.

U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier that the U.S. will put 200 per cent tariff on all wines and other alcoholic products if the EU does not remove tariff on whiskey.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)