Macron to hold firm dialogue with Trump on tariffs at G7 summit

PARIS, June 15. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron expects a "respectful but firm" dialogue with US President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven (G7) summit and will try to convey to him the detrimental nature of tariffs against the club's member countries.

"We are aware of these threats. By the way, when the G7 summit was held in Biarritz in 2019, we had about the same situation," Macron said in an interview with TF1 TV channel.

Commenting on Trump's threat to impose 100% duties on French wines because of the tax on tech companies in force in the republic, Macron said that "it doesn't work that way." He recalled the agreement on duties signed between the EU and the United States last summer and said that "stability is needed now." Macron also noted that a tax for digital giants has been introduced in several European countries and "is part of the legislation."

"It is not up to the United States to decide what the legislation of the Europeans or the French should be. That won't change as long as I'm here. This is why we will have a respectful but firm conversation," the president said. "We are going to demonstrate that the duties are not beneficial to anyone. And especially the duties between the G7 countries."

Earlier, Trump warned France of the risk of starting a new trade war and threatened to impose 100 percent duties on French wines and champagne if Paris does not lift the digital tax on American high-tech firms, which has been in effect since 2019. Trump noted that he had directly voiced this warning to Macron.