Today, in Beijing, Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov said to journalists “I heard that French President Emmanuel Macron had recently called on the United States not to withdraw from Syria even when the last terrorist would be killed or expelled from the country…. This is some kind of colonial position”.

Lavrov added that he would like to clarify with French partners what they exactly want because, according to him “The question is very serious, we will work on it”.

Indeed, President Emmanuel Macron landed yesterday in the White House with this fame for a very difficult mission, which calls into question America first: to convince the US president not to exit the Iranian nuclear agreement, not to impose duties to the EU and not to withdraw from Syria.

The American press scrutinizes with interest the relationship that would unite the two men with such different profiles. It wonders about the benefits, for the French President, to show his closeness to President Trump.

The glamour and attention to Macron’s visit to Washington contrast in any case with the discretion surrounding the arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, scheduled for Friday, a few hours after the departure of the French President. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the relation with German Chancellor could be less friendly because of the absence of common position about climate issue.

Maria Elena Argano

For further information:

RT Website: https://www.rt.com/news/424905-lavrov-macron-colonial-policy/

Paris Match Website: http://www.parismatch.com/Actu/International/Une-visite-sous-le-signe-de-l-amitie-pour-les-Trump-et-les-Macron-1502708

Le Monde Website: http://www.lemonde.fr/ameriques/article/2018/04/24/la-presse-americaine-decrypte-le-pari-de-macron-sur-trump_5289617_3222.html