HAMBURG (Sputnik) — World leaders participating in the G20 summit in Hamburg held difficult discussions on a range of topics amid increasing differences in stances, French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday.
"We had difficult exchanges at this G20 meeting… There are growing major differences between major powers… There are real divisions, uncertainties, instability that didn't exist just a few short years ago," Macron said during a press briefing at the conclusion of the G20 summit.
Nevertheless, the joint statement of G20 member states on fighting terrorism is a piece of progress signaling the world leaders' commitment to counter the Internet propaganda for terrorist purposes, according to Macron.
"I believe the joint statement on terrorism is a good statement that will enable us to move forward and which signals the commitment of the G20 group against the Internet propaganda… It's a real piece of progress from the G20 forum," Macron said.
"We need free trade because this is what enables us, for people, for companies, for consumers to go in the direction of the better globalization. And it's important for this global competition to be fair," Macron explained.
The French leader also declared that the US decision to withdraw from the the Paris agreement on climate change is "a mistake", and "noted with great satisfaction that [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin has confirmed his support for the Paris agreement."
