‘ Let’s see’ stance on Paris deal

President Donald Trump held the door open to a reversal of his decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord yesterday, but did not say what he would need in return to persuade him to do so.

Trump, who has made few friends in Europe with his rejection of the 2015 Paris agreement and his “America First” trade stance, met with French President Emmanuel Macron as both leaders sought common ground to reset an awkward relationship.

“Something could happen with respect to the Paris accords, let’s see what happens,” Trump told a news conference.

Trump and Macron’s relationship got off to a bumpy start, but both have an incentive to improve relations — Macron hopes to elevate France’s role in global affairs, and Trump, seemingly isolated among world leaders, needs a friend overseas.

Macron welcomed Trump with a warm handshake and smiles, a contrast to the clenched- jaw greeting they shared at their first encounter in May. “Emmanuel, nice to see you. This is so beautiful,” the US President told Macron as they met at the Hotel des Invalides where Napoleon Bonaparte and other French war heroes are buried.

For the 39- year- old Macron, France’s youngest leader since Napoleon two centuries ago, the visit is a chance to use soft diplomacy to win Trump’s confidence and set about influencing US foreign policy, which European leaders say lacks direction.

Macron views it as counterproductive to isolate the US on the world stage, and said he and Trump had asked diplomats to draw up in the coming weeks a concrete initiative aimed at preparing the future of Syria.

“On the Iraq- Syria situation, we have agreed to continue working together, in particular on the building of a roadmap for the post- war period,” Macron said.

Trump said work was under way to negotiate a ceasefire in a second region of Syria.

Meanwhile, Trump said he would invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House but added that now was not the right time.

The Republican president drew Trump's comments came as he defended his eldest son, Donald Trump Jnr, who met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump told reporters travelling with him on Air Force One to Paris that he was open to the idea of inviting Putin to the White House at some point.