The European Union will respond to US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs announcement, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday.

Barrot told TF1 television that France and its European partners should not hesitate to defend their interests in the face of the US tariff threats.

Trump said on Sunday that he will introduce new 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports into the US, on top of existing metals duties, in another major escalation of his trade policy overhaul.

Asked if France and the European Union will respond, Barrot said: "Of course... This is already what Donald Trump did in 2018, and we responded. We will again respond."

The European Commission will decide on the sectors that will be affected by a response, he added.

"It (the Commission) is ready to push the trigger when the time has come. Now this time has come. It is in no one's interest to start a commercial war with the European Union," he said.