Macron advises Trump before meeting Putin: Don't be weak

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he would travel to Washington to try to convince his US counterpart Donald Trump that his interests were aligned with those of his European allies and that showing any weakness to Russian President Vladimir Putin would make dealing with China and Iran more difficult.

Macron said the uncertainty over how Trump would handle Russia's three-year assault on Ukraine was worrying, but it also created uncertainty for Putin, something that should be used to help negotiations.

Macron's remarks came during a question-and-answer session on social media as part of the French government's efforts to make people more aware of the impact of the Ukraine war, France's role and the shift in the United States' position since Trump took office.