French Finance Minister: There is an urgency to respond to Trump's 'stupid war'

France's Finance Minister has called US President Donald Trump's threats to impose 200 percent tariffs on imports from the European Union "stupid".

Eric Lombard has said threats by US President Donald Trump to impose a 200 percent tariff on wine products from the European Union are "silly".

The French Finance Minister's comments come as tensions and a trade war between the US and the European Union escalate. Lombard stressed that Europe has no choice but to respond to these threats, adding: "This is a stupid war, but if we are going to talk, we must be on equal terms. So we will also increase tariffs on American goods."

The trade war between the United States and the European Union is taking on new forms every week.

Last Thursday, Trump sharply criticized the European Union, saying it was "one of the most hostile and exploitative tax organizations in the world, created to exploit the United States."

Trump's remarks came after the European Union increased tariffs on $28 billion worth of US goods, including steel, aluminum, clothing, household appliances and agricultural products such as poultry, beef, seafood, nuts, sugar and vegetables.