Europe can't rely on US, says Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her experience at international summits featuring US President Donald Trump showed her Europe cannot "completely" rely on Washington and other longstanding allies, the media reported.

"The times when we could completely rely on others are, to an extent, over," Merkel said on Sunday at a campaign event in Munich.

"I experienced that in the last a few days, and therefore I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands," CNN quoted the Chancellor as saying.

At the G7 Summit last week, leaders, including Merkel, failed to convince Trump to commit to stay in the Paris climate deal.

Trump tweeted later that he would make a final decision next week, and the US took a separate stance on climate from the other nations in the official G7 communique.

At the Sunday event, Merkel said that Europeans would continue to work in friendship with the US, the UK and others wherever possible, including Russia, but stressed her view that Europeans must be self-reliant, reports CNN.

"We need to know that we have to fight for our own future and destiny as Europeans," Merkel said.

If her party is successful in German elections later this year, Merkel would stand for a fourth term as Chancellor.

She closed out her Munich speech drinking a mug of beer surrounded by supporters doing the same.

--IANS

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