France is still trying to assemble a "blocking minority" within the European Union to prevent a trade deal with four South American countries from coming into force, President Emmanuel Macron

Europe’s leaders are caught between the need to boost their defence spending in a hurry, and their tight finances. The European leaders gathered by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday at a rapidly convened summit in Paris may have debated the creation of a joint borrowing vehicle that would help shore up their militaries while mutualising the associated fiscal cost.

Defending Ukraine in its war with Russia has cost $280 billion so far – and the US has contributed more than any other country. President Donald Trump has raised concerns about the cost of the war in Ukraine in recent days and the topic dominated his Monday meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, holds a video meeting gathering European Union (EU) 27 leaders following his meeting with US President Donald Trump, at the Elysee palace in Paris, Wednesday,

President Donald Trump is expected to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday at the White House. The two leaders are expected to discuss the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine as well as Trump's proposed tariffs on the European Union,

The French president's most recent attempt to reassert himself, by calling a summit on how EU could end Russia-Ukraine war, apparently only ended is disagreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he wants the European Union to boost its military autonomy and alleviate reliance on the U.S. over the next five to 10 years — responding

French President Emmanuel Macron had a phone call with Donald Trump just as he was about to greet key European Union nations and the United Kingdom at the Elysee Palace on Monday for an emergency meeting on how to react to the U.