Europe must stay united in face of ally uncertainty, says Merkel

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged European Union nations to stick together in the face of emerging policy divisions with the United States, Britain’s decision to leave the bloc and other challenges.

Speaking at a campaign event held in a Bavarian beer tent, Merkel suggested that the G-7 summit in Italy that ended on Saturday had served as something of a wake-up call.

G-7 leaders were unable to reach unanimous agreement on climate change after US President Donald Trump said he needed more time to decide whether to back a key climate accord.

“The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days,” Merkel told the crowd of some 2,500 that gathered to hear her and Bavarian governor Horst Seehofer.

“And so all I can say is that we Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands,” she said, according to the dpa news agency.

Merkel emphasised the need for continued friendly relations with the United States and Britain and also stressed the importance of being good neighbours “wherever that is possible, including with Russia, but also with others”.

“But we need to know we must fight for our own future, as Europeans, for our destiny.”

Despite the Trump administration’s talk of an “America first” policy and ongoing criticism of Germany for its massive trade surplus, the G-7 leaders in Sicily did vow to fight protectionism, reiterating “a commitment to keep our markets open”. — AP