Trump links France protests with 'bad treatment' of US by EU

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday compared the large-scale protests across France over hike in fuel prices to the "bad" treatment of his country by the European Union (EU) in terms of trade.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Trump also linked the demonstrations on how Washington was also being "badly" treated on "fair and reasonable payments" for strengthening the country's defence capabilities, and called for an immediate solution to the two issues.

"The large and violent French protests don't take into account how badly the United States has been treated on Trade by the European Union or on fair and reasonable payments for our GREAT military protection. Both of these topics must be remedied soon," the US President wrote on the micro-blogging site.

The "yellow vest" protests, which initially began as a campaign against skyrocketing fuel prices across France, expanded into a huge agitation against President Emmanuel Macron's administration in recent weeks. The police said that around 3,000 officers have been deployed in the French capital to tackle the situation.

In a bid to disperse large the number of demonstrators that had gathered at the Champs Elysees on Saturday, police personnel was forced to fire tear gas shells and water cannons at them.

The protesters are voicing their dissent against rising gas prices and Macron's economic policies. Calls for the French President's resignation by the demonstrators have gained momentum over the past few weeks.