President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday discussed their “solidarity” with the U.K. over a Russian chemical weapon attack on an ex-spy earlier this year, just one day after Trump declined to bring up the attack in a conversation with Russia’s leader.
Trump and Macron “reiterated their solidarity with the United Kingdom in the wake of Russia’s use of chemical weapons against private citizens on British soil and agreed on the need to take action to hold Russia accountable,” the White House said in a summary of the phone call between the two presidents.
Trump did not mention the nerve agent attack during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, an omission that quickly drew criticism on Capitol Hill. Despite allegations of widespread cheating in the Russian election, Trump ignored that issue and congratulated Putin on his recent re-election victory during the same call.
American and U.K. officials have concluded Russia orchestrated the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal, the ex-spy, because the chemical used is manufactured only in Russia. The attack has drawn condemnation from the U.K.’s allies, but the U.K., the European Union, and the U.S. have yet to specify how they plan to retaliate against the Kremlin for the strike.
Trump and Macron also “discussed how the United States and Europe might come together over tariffs,” the White House noted.
The president recently threatened to impose tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports unless countries pledge trade or security concessions in exchange for a waiver. Trump spared Canada and Mexico from the duties after the two countries committed to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.
