Angela Merkel ‘right to be honest about differences with Trump’, says spokesman

Angela Merkel’s spokesman has defended her comments at the weekend warning that Europe could no longer rely on the US, saying a healthy transatlantic partnership depended on the German Chancellor’s ability to be honest with her American counterpart.

He said it was important to stress the clear differences in foreign policy but added that Germany remained committed to strengthening ties with the Trump administration.

On Saturday, following fractious G7 and Nato meetings, Ms Merkel suggested the days when Germany could rely on its allies were "over to a certain extent".

She did not mention Donald Trump by name, but the US President's criticism of other Nato members for their “chronic underpayments”, and his refusal to endorse a global climate change accord, were seen as a likely catalyst for her remarks.

Clarifying Ms Merkel’s position on Monday, her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said she was a “deeply convinced Atlanticist”.

He said German-US relations "are a strong pillar of our foreign and security policy, and Germany will continue working to strengthen these relations”.

"[It is] precisely because they are so important, it's right to name differences honestly," he added.

Germany’s interior minister also insisted security ties with Washington were "excellent" and said shared threats with Britain meant Brexit should have as little impact as possible on security cooperation.

"I can only say transatlantic cooperation is, especially in the security domain, of paramount significance for our country," Thomas de Maiziere said.

"I am confident that the issue of security cooperation will not be among the most difficult issues in the Brexit negotiations," he added. "A lot unites us here."

Ms Merkel, who is standing for a fourth term in September’s federal elections, said at the weekend that Germans “have to know that we must fight for our future on our own, for our destiny as Europeans”.

"I have experienced this in the last few days," she said. "And that is why I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands - of course in friendship with the United States of America, in friendship with Great Britain and as good neighbours wherever that is possible also with other countries, even with Russia."

Commentators downplayed the significance of her comments, saying they were delivered in the context of the upcoming election and targeted at her electorate rather than foreign leaders.

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, reacted to Ms Merkel’s words by emphasising that Britain was seeking a "deep and special partnership" with the rest of Europe after Brexit.

She said the UK would remain a “strong partner” on trade and defence and, in the wake of the Manchester attack, said boosting security across the continent depended on close ties between the two countries.

A recent poll of German voters showed growing support for Ms Merkel’s conservative bloc, on 38 per cent, as backing for the Social Democrats continues to wane (25 per cent).