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US wants France to be 'fair': Trump

Saturday, 10 November 2018 2:38 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 10 November 2018 2:42 PM ]

US President Donald Trump (R) waves as he leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris on November 10, 2018, following bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron (L) on the sidelines of commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the 11 November 1918 armistice, ending World War I. (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump has hit back at his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, suggesting France has not been paying a “fair" share of the costs of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO).

"We want to help Europe but it has to be fair. Right now, the burden sharing has been largely on the United States,” Trump said on Saturday hours after he slammed Macron for what he described as “very insulting” comments.

PressTV-Trump slams Macron as he arrives in Paris

The US president hits out at his French counterpart's "very insulting" suggestion for "a real European army."

"President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the US, China and Russia," Trump wrote in a tweet just as he landed in France. "Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the US subsidizes greatly!"

President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2018

France has already agreed to pay a larger share of the costs of maintaining NATO.

Macron said in an interview with Europe 1 radio on Monday that Europe needed a “European army” to protect the continent against the threats posed by China, Russia and even the United States of America.

PressTV-France’s Macron calls for ‘real European army’ without US

French President Macron calls for the establishment of a “real European army,” claiming that Europe is the chief victim of a recent US decision to scrap a major nuclear arms pact with Russia.

His remarks came after Trump confirmed late last month that his administration planned to abandon the landmark Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia.

Macron, in the interview with Europe 1, said Washington’s withdrawal from the INF Treaty would pose a threat to “Europe and its security.”

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