Merkel disillusioned with US and Britain

ANGELA Merkel last night declared Europe “must take its fate into its own hands’’ because it can no longer rely on Britain and America following Brexit and the election of Donald Trump.

At a rally in a packed beer tent in Munich, the German Chancellor said: “I have experienced this in the last few days.

“And that is why I can only say that we Europeans must take our fate into our own hands – of course in friendship with the United States of America, Great Britain and as good neighbours wherever that is possible also with other c o u n t r i e s , even with Russia. But we have to know that we must fight for our future on our own, for our destiny as Europeans.”

Ms Merkel (pictured) said forging closer relations with new French President Emmanuel Macron was a priority.

The Chancellor had just returned from a G7 summit in Sicily and a NATO summit in Brussels – both also attended by British Prime Minister Theresa May and Mr Trump.