Following his visit to the southern country, the French president said that Javier Milei was also "not satisfied" with the current conditions of the treaty.

French President Emmanuel Macron met his Argentine counterpart Javier Milei in Buenos Aires on Sunday, with the dual objective of "defending" French farmers mobilized against the trade agreement with Mercosur and convincing Milei not to act alone on climate issues.

"I told the Argentine president very sincerely and clearly that France would not sign this Mercosur treaty as it is today," Macron told reporters on the tarmac of Buenos Aires airport before leaving for Brazil. "He himself (Milei) told me that he was not satisfied" with this text, he added.

After a symbolic tribute to the French victims of the Argentine military dictatorship (1976-1983), Macron visited the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace, where he was received by Milei for the second time after a dinner on Saturday.

French farmers oppose the agreement

"We don't always think the same on many issues," Macron said of his Argentine counterpart before meeting him on Sunday, "but it is very useful to exchange ideas to prepare" for the G20, which both will attend on Monday and Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro.

Meanwhile, in France, farmers will be mobilising against a free trade agreement between the European Union (EU), supported mainly by Germany and Spain, which they hope to sign before the end of the year with Mercosur.

Farm workers fear a flood of Latin American meat and warn of unfair competition from products that are not subject to Europe's strict environmental and health standards.

"We will continue to work hard to defend our model (...) If we are all reasonable, there is a way forward, but it will not be at the expense of our farmers," Macron said.