WASHINGTON: US President
Donald Trump on Tuesday reached out to German Chancellor
Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on their coordinated actions against Russia and his forthcoming summit with North Korean leader
Kim Jong-un, the White House said.
In a decision reminiscent of the Cold War era, the US on Monday expelled 60 Russian diplomats, describing them as "intelligence officers" and ordered closure of the country's consulate in Seattle over the use of nerve agent allegedly by Moscow against a former Russian spy in the UK.
The US move was followed by 14 EU members who expelled a number of Russian diplomats in a coordinated response. Germany and France said they would each expel four Russian diplomats.
During separate phone calls, the three leaders expressed support for the West's strong response to Russia's chemical weapons attack in Salisbury, the UK, including the expulsion of numerous Russian intelligence officers on both sides of the Atlantic, the White House said.
Trump and Merkel praised the joint announcements from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies,
European Union member states and other partners to expel undeclared Russian intelligence officers in solidarity with the UK and in response to Russia's reckless use of chemical weapons.
"The President and the Chancellor discussed joining forces to counter China's unfair economic practices and illegal acquisition of intellectual property. They also discussed levelling the playing field on tariffs and the crisis with North Korea," the White House said in a readout of the call with the German leader.
In his call with the French leader, Trump stressed the need to intensify cooperation with Turkey with respect to shared strategic challenges in Syria.
"The two leaders also discussed trade practices between the
United States and European Union and the next steps in addressing China's unfair trade practices," the White House added.
