U.S. President Donald Trump talks with France's President Emmanuel Macron, ahead of the NATO summit, in Watford, in London, Britain, December 3, 2019. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS

WATFORD, England (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he was hopeful that trade and economic disagreements with the United States, including a dispute over France’s new digital services tax, could be settled.

“I think we can settle this situation with President Trump. I am rather confident we can have a discussion together about it,” Macron told a news conference at a NATO alliance summit.

Macron stressed, however, that he was “determined to defend the interests of our country and of Europe”.

The United States has threatened to impose duties of up to 100% on imports of champagne, handbags and other French products worth $2.4 billion after a U.S. government investigation found that France’s new digital services tax would harm U.S. technology companies.