French president urges Trump to avoid harming allies through tariffs

French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed his intention to urge his US counterpart Donald Trump to avoid harming his allies by imposing new tariffs on their exports.

In statements he made during his visit to the French Agricultural Exhibition, ahead of his upcoming meeting with Trump in Washington on Monday, Macron stressed the need to avoid trade policies that negatively affect allied countries, saying: “Between allies, one should not impose suffering on the other through tariffs.”

The French president added that he will discuss with his US counterpart ways to calm trade tensions, stressing the importance of supporting French agricultural and food products to enhance their competitiveness in global markets.

Macron indicated that he will discuss various issues with Trump, including cooperation agreements and existing disputes, expressing his hope to reach solutions, especially regarding the Ukrainian crisis.

He also explained that he will make efforts to convince Trump to adopt more balanced trade policies, stressing that France will take the necessary steps to defend its interests in the event that understandings are not reached. The remarks come amid Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on a number of allied countries, sparking protests from Canada, Mexico and the European Union, amid fears of escalating global trade tensions.