World
Macron says he discussed oil prices, Hormuz and Ukraine aid with Trump in New York
The French president said he put forward several ideas to Donald Trump to help curb rising oil prices. He also pointed to shared views on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stepping up defensive support for Ukraine.
Emmanuel Macron met Donald Trump in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly and said afterward that the exchange had been very constructive, according to France Info.
The French president said he presented several initiatives aimed at slowing the rise in oil prices, which he linked to the war in Ukraine and, above all, the crisis in the Middle East. Among the options discussed, France Info reported, was a UN resolution intended to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
Macron said both leaders shared the goal of reopening Hormuz and releasing additional volumes of hydrocarbons. He noted that the strait normally handles 20% of global hydrocarbons trade. He also said possible ways were discussed to allow more container ships and tankers to pass through.
France Info published differing accounts of the meeting’s length: one report said it lasted about half an hour, while another put it at 45 minutes. Both said the talks took place at Trump Tower, where Trump also hosted Macron in his apartment, according to a participant cited by the outlet.
Macron also said the two leaders spoke at length about the need to help Ukraine faster and more forcefully, especially with interceptor missiles for air defense. Later, the French president met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
France Info added that Macron referred to possible initiatives to seek a moratorium on energy-related issues, at a time when infrastructure in both countries is regularly targeted. He did not specify whether that idea would also cover Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy facilities.
Trump, for his part, wrote on social media that Russia had lost control of its diesel industry because of the war with Ukraine and again argued that the conflict should be brought to an end.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
