US President Donald Trump has threatened France with punitive tariffs of up to 200 percent on French wine and champagne after Paris showed reluctance to join a US-initiated »Board of Peace«. The warning followed concerns voiced by French officials that the proposed body could undermine the role of the United Nations.
Trump made the threat public after President Emmanuel Macron and members of his government declined to immediately accept the invitation. From Paris, officials signaled that using trade pressure to influence foreign policy decisions was unacceptable and ineffective. France said it is reviewing the legal framework of the proposal but has no plans to join at this stage.
Despite France’s hesitation, Trump confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has also been formally invited to participate in the »Board of Peace«. Russian officials stated that Moscow is examining the invitation and seeking further clarification — a move that has sparked additional controversy in Europe and beyond.
According to Trump, the planned body is intended to oversee the next phase of a proposed peace initiative for Gaza and potentially address other international conflicts. Critics in Europe, however, fear that a US-led council could weaken established multilateral institutions. In Paris and Brussels in particular, officials stressed that global diplomacy should continue to operate within existing international frameworks rather than through parallel structures.
The tariff threat targets a key French export sector. The United States is one of the most important markets for French wine and champagne, and additional duties could significantly affect producers. Observers view Trump’s approach as another sign of rising transatlantic tensions, especially as the European Union is already considering possible countermeasures involving retaliatory tariffs worth up to 93 billion euros.
The dispute highlights how closely trade policy, foreign policy, and geopolitics are currently intertwined — and how quickly diplomatic disagreements can escalate into economic conflict.
SK
