- French President Emmanuel Macron strongly criticized the use of tariffs by powerful nations, describing them as a form of "blackmail" rather than a tool for rebalancing international trade.
- His remarks were delivered at the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, ahead of sensitive European Union-United States trade negotiations.
- Macron condemned the current climate of trade disputes, stating that bringing back a trade war and tariffs is an "aberration," particularly when imposed on countries beginning their economic takeoff.
- The French leader also called for a re-evaluation and strengthening of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to align its objectives with global efforts to combat inequality and climate change.
- Macron's comments follow the imposition of sweeping global tariffs by Donald Trump, which the United Nations trade agency had warned could have a "catastrophic impact" on developing countries.
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