French President Emmanuel Macron said that he intends to tell U.S. counterpart Donald Trump that it's in the joint interest of Americans and Europeans not to “be weak” in the face of Russian leader Vladimir Putin amid U.

"Trump, I know him. I respect him and I believe he respects me," Macron said during a one-hour question and answer session on social media. "I will tell him: deep down you cannot be weak in the face of President (Vladimir Putin). It's not you, it's not what you're made of and it's not in your interests."

You can’t be weak in front of Putin’ French president Emmanuel Macron says he will tell Donald Trump to "not be weak" in the face of Vladimir Putin, when he travels to the White House to discuss America's move to end Russia's war in Ukraine on Monday (24 February).