Congruence, disagreements amid Trump-Macron meeting

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Sun, 11 Nov 2018 - 01:24 GMT

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Sun, 11 Nov 2018 - 01:24 GMT

FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Donald Trump meets French President Emmanuel Macron in New York, U.S., September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Donald Trump meets French President Emmanuel Macron in New York, U.S., September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

CAIRO - 11 November 2018: French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted on Nov.10 revealing the files he discussed with his American counterpart Donald Trump who held a state visit to Paris.

The French president said they addressed counter-terrorism measures, European defense, and the status of Iran, Syria, Libya, and the Gulf as well as matters of mutual interest. Both leaders agreed to maintain stability in the Middle East which would have a positive effect on oil prices.







The U.S. president has been subject to criticism after he had abstained from visiting an American war cemetery near Paris because of rain. Trump had also described in a tweet Macron’s call to form a European defense force “insulting” saying that Europe should contribute more to the NATO budget.




According to the NATO website, the share of each of the 29 member states is determined based on its Gross National Income (GNI). That share is covered by the defense budget of each state. According to a report by The Telegraph, the United States paid in 2016 $918 billion, while the United Kingdom, France, and Germany contributed by $60 billion, $44 billion, and $41 billion respectively.

Last month, Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Intermediate- Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty which was signed in 1987 with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) before its disintegration in 1991.

The INF bans ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 - 5,500 km. The agreement was reached after the USSR had deployed in 1977 on its territories the SS-20 Saber which could reach Western Europe triggering the response of the United States that installed Pershing and Cruise missiles in Europe.

By 1991, nearly 2,700 missiles were destroyed while Russia and the United States agreed to inspect each others installations, according to a BBC report.

In 2014, former U.S. President Barack Obama accused Russia of testing a ground-launched cruise missile. In 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the INF no longer serves his country’s interests, according to BBC.

In 2002, the United States pullot out the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty banning weapons designed to counter ballistic nuclear weapons. In 2016, the United States installed a missile defense shield in Europe with the aim of defending NATO against any possible Iranian rockets. The move was perceived as hostile by Russia.

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