TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — French President Emmanuel Macron Thursday urged US President Donald Trump not to show weakness toward Russian President Vladimir Putin as it could embolden Chinese aggression against Taiwan.

Macron held a live Q&A on X regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and the prospects for peace, per CNA. He confirmed his upcoming trip to the White House on Feb. 24 to meet Trump to ensure that Europe has a seat in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks. 

Macron said US allies are concerned that Trump's stance on ending the Russia-Ukraine war has created uncertainty. He stressed that while confronting Putin, it is important to remember that China is watching.

He warned that showing weakness to Putin would not only force Ukraine into a bad deal but also undermine Trump's credibility in dealing with China and curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He argued this would make it even harder to handle China and Iran in the future.

Referring to his upcoming meeting with Trump, Macron said, “I’m going to tell him that he can’t be weak in the face of Putin when he’ll have to face China next. That’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest. It would be a huge strategic mistake," per The Telegraph. 

He added he would ask Trump, “How can we explain that China doesn’t have the right to invade Taiwan when Russia is doing the same with Ukraine?" He emphasized that letting Ukraine fall to Russia would send a dangerous strategic signal to Beijing.