French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly criticised the use of tariffs by powerful nations, describing them as a form of "blackmail" rather than a tool for rebalancing international trade. His remarks, delivered on Monday at the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, come as the European Union navigates sensitive trade negotiations with the United States ahead of a July 9 deadline.
While he did not specifically name the United States or U.S. President Donald Trump, Mr Macron's comments were made in the context of ongoing global trade tensions. "We need to restore freedom and equity to international trade, much more than barriers and tariffs, which are devised by the strongest, and which are often used as instruments of blackmail, not at all as instruments of rebalancing," he stated.
