Trump drags feet on climate change
– Under pressure from Group of Seven (G7) allies, US President Donald Trump on Saturday backed a pledge to fight protectionism but refused to endorse a global climate change accord, saying he needed more time to decide.
The summit of G7 wealthy nations pitted Trump against the leaders of Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Japan on several issues, with European diplomats frustrated at having to revisit questions they had hoped were long settled.
However, diplomats stressed there was broad agreement on an array of foreign policy problems, including the renewal of a threat to slap further economic sanctions on Russia if its interference in neighbouring Ukraine demanded it.
Trump himself hailed what he called “a tremendously productive meeting”, saying he had strengthened US ties with their long-standing partners.
Although he tweeted that he would make a decision this week, his apparent reluctance to embrace the first-ever legally binding global climate deal that was signed by 195 countries clearly annoyed German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The entire discussion about climate was very difficult, if not to say very dissatisfying,” she told reporters. “There are no indications whether the United States will stay in the Paris Agreement or not.”
Putting a positive spin on it, new French President Emmanuel Macron said he was sure Trump, who he praised as “pragmatist”, would back the deal having listened to his G7 counterparts. –