ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that Europe was "not feared enough" following the recent trade deal with the US.

"To be free, one must be feared. We have not been feared enough,” Macron was quoted as saying by BFM TV, citing a Council of Ministers source.

Macron noted that Europe still does not see itself as enough of a power and reaffirmed that France will continue to maintain a position of "firmness" and "high standards."

"This is not the end of the story, and we will not stop here. This is a first step in a negotiation process that will continue," he stressed.

Macron explained that the agreement has the "merit of providing short-term visibility and predictability," while protecting French and European interests.

The US and the EU on Sunday reached a trade deal with 15% tariffs, ending months-long uncertainty, US President Donald Trump announced following a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland.

Earlier, Washington, DC, had threatened a tariff rate of 30%.

As part of the deal, the EU will invest $600 billion in the US, while the bloc will purchase $750 billion in US energy and military equipment.