All eyes on Trump-Macron meeting amid differences

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron will host US President Donald Trump on Thursday night and Friday for Bastille Day talks which coincide with the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War II. The meeting, between two leaders vastly different in age and political philosophies, will be intriguing for the common ground that they seek to find.

Mr Trump has referred to his "great" relationship with Mr Macron, and it is true that they share political positioning as perceived insurgent outsiders with a business background. Moreover, the two men have a number of shared international objectives, including countering international terrorism, with France, for instance, being the second-largest contributor to the US-led coalition in Syria.

Yet, while both leaders have political reasons to court each other, the context for the meeting is the stark policy divergence. Already, the two presidents have clashed over issues including the Paris climate change treaty and international trade, which highlight the global ramifications of the discussions.