Paris — Saudi Arabia is the cornerstone of stability in the region, US President Donald Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron during their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Saturday, according to a French presidential source.

Trump and Macron met ahead of the commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the 11 November 1918 armistice, ending World War I.

The French presidential source further that both presidents will push to lay the foundations for a political solution in Yemen.

As for the re-imposed sanctions on Iran, the French source said that President Trump assured his French counterpart of the effectiveness of these sanctions.

The source also said that president Trump has called for a new agreement to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.

Trump and Macron also agreed on the need for more European defense spending.

“We want a strong Europe, it’s very important to us, and whichever way we can do it the best and more efficient would be something we both want,” said Trump.

“We want to help Europe but it has to be fair. Right now the burden sharing has been largely on the United States."

Macron echoed those sentiments, saying he wanted Europe to bear a greater share of the defense costs within NATO, a point he has made repeatedly since taking office, alongside his ambitions for Europe to have its own military capability.

“That's why I do believe my proposals for European defense are totally consistent with that,” Macron said in English.