Trump arrives in France seeking consensus

US President Donald Trump has arrived in France looking to improve ties with the European power.

Donald Trump and First Lady Melania arrive at Orly airport

Donald Trump and Melania Trump have arrived in Paris ahead of Bastille Day celebrations. (AAP)

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Paris for a high profile two-day visit during which he will be the guest of honour at the annual Bastille Day parade.

Air Force One landed at Orly airport in the French capital early on Thursday. Trump and first lady Melania Trump were first heading to the US ambassador's residence and the president was to then meet US military leaders.

He will later be received with military honours at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris.

There, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to show him the tombs of French World War I commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch and Napoleon Bonaparte.

This year's centennial of the US entry into World War I gave Macron a premise for inviting Trump to Paris for Bastille Day celebrations. A contingent of US troops will lead Friday's parade in honour of the occasion.

Trump's second European trip this month comes amid new revelations about his presidential campaign.

His son, Donald Trump Jr, disclosed several emails this week about his arrangements last year to meet a Russian lawyer who apparently claimed to have damaging information about rival presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Trump and Macron are expected to discuss the fight against terrorism and major security issues including the Syrian conflict and the situation in the Sahel region of Africa, where French troops are engaged in a mission to support local forces against jihadists.

Those are areas where the two leaders are keen to cooperate despite their differences on other issues, which included a very public disagreement on Trump's decision to pull the US out of the Paris agreement on limiting global warming.

The first day of the visit is due to conclude with a dinner at the Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.


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Published 13 July 2017 5:36pm
Source: AAP


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