French President Emmanuel Macron, who met President Trump for the first time on Thursday, said he urged the U.S. leader to respect the Paris climate accord.
The White House, however, did not mention the issue in its readout on Trump’s working lunch in Brussels with the newly elected French president.
Macron told reporters as he headed into the meeting that climate change would be one of the issues he raised, along with concerns about terrorism and the economy. Afterward, at a news conference, the French president said that in his talk with Trump, he “reiterated the importance” of the landmark climate accord.
“No hasty decision on this subject should be taken by the U.S.,” Macron said. “Our collective responsibility is to make sure this commitment remains a global commitment.”
Referring to the agreement, he added: “It’s one of a kind."
In its readout, the White House said Trump urged Macron to meet NATO commitments on French defense spending and help ensure that the alliance is “focused on counter-terrorism.”
It also said the two leaders talked about the importance of defeating Islamic State and “other vital issues.”
