Trump-Macron smooth over defence spat

The United States President Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have both said Europe should pay more of its defence costs, a day after the US president lambasted the idea of a European army.

The Trump-Macron show of unity came despite earlier tensions, triggered when the French leader said the EU needed a joint army to handle threats from the US, China and Russia.

"We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America," he told French radio station Europe 1 on Tuesday.

"I want to build a real security dialogue with Russia, which is a country I respect, a European country - but we must have a Europe that can defend itself on its own without relying only on the United States."

Trump responded angrily in a Friday night tweet, writing: "President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the US, China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the US subsidizes greatly!"

Macron has already raised spending considerably to meet Nato target of 2% of the GDP going to defence.

He is also overseeing the formation of a European rapid reaction force, a nine-nation endeavour much smaller than an actual army, which is backed by Germany and the UK.

Around 70 world leaders are gathering in Paris for events marking the Armistice that ended World War One, which was signed 100 years ago this Sunday.