France's Macron expects Trump to maintain close ties to Europe

French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron said he was sure the United States under President Donald Trump would maintain close ties with the European Union but said Europe would respond if Trump acted to weaken NATO.

Trump has called for better relations between the United States and Russia and during the presidential election campaign rattled U.S. allies, especially in eastern Europe, by saying he would consider a country's contributions to the NATO alliance before coming to their aid.

French opinion polls show Macron, who is running as an independent in the April-May presidential election in France, is gaining on the frontrunners, conservative candidate Francois Fillon and far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Emmanuel Macron (C), head of the political movement En Marche !, or Forward !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election visits a qualification class for refugees of German railway operator Deutsche Bahn in Berlin January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
Emmanuel Macron (C), head of the political movement En Marche !, or Forward !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election visits a qualification class for refugees of German railway operator Deutsche Bahn in Berlin January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

"I want to at least give the new U.S. president a chance, but the signals from Trump up to now have been going in another direction. He doesn’t rule out the dismantling of NATO," Macron told Germany's Funke Mediengruppe newspaper chain in an interview published on Thursday.

"I'm convinced it's in America's interest to cooperate with the EU. We have common values and similarly structured economies. I doubt that Trump would defend U.S. interests without working with the EU or dealing with climate change," he said."

Asked about Trump's comments on NATO, Macron said: "We would react if it came to that (weakening of the alliance). But I am warning against developing premature scenarios," he said, without elaborating.

Trump's nominee for U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, on Wednesday told his confirmation hearing that NATO's mutual defence guarantee, Article 5, was "inviolable".

Macron also said he backed expanding sanctions against Russia if there were no progress in implementing the long-stalled Minsk peace accords for eastern Ukraine, where Kiev's forces have been battling pro-Russian separatists.

"I’m in favor of resolving the Ukraine conflict through the Minsk peace accords. If there is no progress, it would make sense to expand sanctions against Russia. At the same time, we also need continuing and demanding discussions with Moscow," he said.

Fillon and Le Pen both support closer ties between France and Russia and have indicated they would push for the sanctions to be dropped.

Reuters

Other News

Vietnam, US strengthen cooperation to ease suffering of AO/dioxin victims

Vietnam, US strengthen cooperation to ease suffering of AO/dioxin victims

A delegation from the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin's chapter in Ho Chi Minh City (VAVA HCMC) visited the US directly inform American friends about the long-term consequences of AO/dioxin in Vietnam and seek the support of progressive groups, veterans, legal experts and youth organisations in efforts to care for the victims.

Indonesia earthquake death toll rises, 2,000 evacuated

Indonesia earthquake death toll rises, 2,000 evacuated

The earthquake struck off Flores Island near Mbay town in Nagekeo district, East Nusa Tenggara province, triggering strong aftershocks. Several houses and other structures were damaged, while landslides disrupted roads in some areas.

Indian Embassy thanks Vietnam for support after Phu Quoc boat tragedy

Indian Embassy thanks Vietnam for support after Phu Quoc boat tragedy

The embassy said on its official X account that the flight carrying the victims' mortal remains departed Ho Chi Minh City on July 13 and arrived in Mumbai later the same day. Authorities in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu coordinated the transportation of the remains to their final destinations.

Vietnamese community in Venezuela backs rescue team on humanitarian mission

Vietnamese community in Venezuela backs rescue team on humanitarian mission

All members of the Vietnamese rescue team in Venezuela have maintained strict discipline, a strong sense of responsibility and unwavering focus when carrying out search, rescue and disaster recovery tasks, with the determination to successfully fulfil the international humanitarian mission entrusted by the Party, State and military.

Key issues ex high agenda at the ASEAN Future Forum 2026

Key issues ex high agenda at the ASEAN Future Forum 2026

PSNews - Nearly six decades after its founding, ASEAN is entering a new phase of transformation. Geopolitical turbulence, intensifying competition among major powers, non-traditional security challenges, and rapid technological change are raising fundamental questions about the region’s future trajectory. In this context, the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 is more than a platform for regional countries to discuss current issues; it is designed to identify strategic pathways for ASEAN in the years ahead.

Malaysia bans social media accounts for children under 16

Malaysia bans social media accounts for children under 16

Under the new rules, social media platforms are required to implement age-verification systems and prevent users under 16 from creating accounts. The regulations apply to platforms with at least eight million users in Malaysia, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Cambodia ranked world's top country for natural environment in 2026

Cambodia ranked world's top country for natural environment in 2026

Cambodia currently manages 73 protected natural areas covering more than seven million hectares, equivalent to about 41% of the country’s total land area. These protected areas play a vital role in forest conservation, wildlife habitat protection and biodiversity preservation through stricter law enforcement and conservation measures.

ASEAN chief spotlights Vietnam’s role in shaping bloc’s future

ASEAN chief spotlights Vietnam’s role in shaping bloc’s future

Vietnam is expected to maintain active contributions across ASEAN’s three pillars - the political-security community, the economic community, and the socio-cultural community; while further enhancing regional connectivity through infrastructure projects and stronger economic linkages.

Vietnam supports UNESCO's people-centred approach, multilateral cooperation: official

Vietnam supports UNESCO's people-centred approach, multilateral cooperation: official

Van affirmed Vietnam’s support for the UNESCO80 reform roadmap, focusing on the organisation’s core mandate, priority areas, interdisciplinary approach, and the special status of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, and UNESCO representative offices, alongside efforts to diversify resources and strengthen global partnerships to enhance the organisation’s effectiveness.