BERLIN – German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier has warned the UnitedStates against plans for dividing Europe, saying President Donald Trump”will not succeed” in such a mission.

Altmaier said Sunday that Washington’s imposition of tariffs on importsfrom Europe would prompt a united response for members of the EuropeanUnion and the US would fail in its attempts to divide the bloc.

“ … we are a customs union and act collectively. It cannot be in theinterest of the US government to divide Europe, nor will it succeed,” saidthe German minister, who was speaking with German business dailyHandelsblatt.

Trump is planning to impose tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10percent on aluminum in a bid to respond to what he calls “unfair” tradepractices. German chancellor Angela Merkel and Altmaier are expected toraise the issue in their upcoming visit to Washington.

The EU has vowed to retaliate and impose its own tariffs on imports ofwhiskey or motorcycles.

Altmaier said Trump’s planned tariffs could spark a trade war between theUS and the EU, adding that such a scenario would harm the two sides whilebenefiting countries like China that stand accused of flooding globalmarkets with cheap steel.

“Companies and consumers on both sides would foot the bill if the US andEurope tumble into a trade war,” he said, adding that China would be”laughing on the sidelines” in such circumstances.

Reports on Sunday said Merkel had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinpingearlier in the day to discuss the issue of steel overproduction. Astatement from Merkel’s office said the two leaders had backed talks amongthe G20 group of industrialized and emerging nations to find a solution tothe issue.

Altmaier said if there was an issue with the global free trade system whichmade Trump unhappy, the US leader should try to resolve it throughnegotiations.

“… we have to talk about it rather than acting unilaterally,” said theGerman minister.