THE HAGUE (Reuters) -It is an aberration to ask Europeans to spend more on defence while launching a tariff war, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, adding it was time to return to peace between NATO allies regarding trade.
Speaking to reporters after a NATO summit in The Hague, Macron said Russia was the primary threat to the alliance and that a final statement between the 32 members showed that Europe was reinforcing its position within NATO after committing to defence spending hikes by 2035.
"We can't say we are going to spend more, and then at the heart of NATO, launch a trade war," Macron said.
"It's an aberration and that's why it's very important that we can return to what should be the rule within all the allies, that is to say, a true trade peace and therefore lowering all tariff barriers that exist or that have been reinforced."
Macron said he had brought the subject up several times with U.S. President Donald Trump and said it was time for it to end.
(Reporting by John Irish; Writing by Makini Brice;Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
