German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday said that Europe should take its fate in its own hands, suggesting that it can not rely on the United States anymore after. Merkel made the statement after contentious meetings with the US President Donald Trump last week.
Trump's visit to Europe did little to soothe the tensions between the US and its oldest allies. Trump, in turn, stoked the unease felt by the world leaders by sparring with them on trade, climate change and defence.
Merkel, who is considered the leader of Europe, told a beer hall rally in Munich on Sunday that the the days when Europe could rely on others was "over to a certain extent. This is what I have experienced in the last few days."
Merkel added that the time has come for the continent when it "really must take our fate into our own hands." The German Chancellor's statement came as the United Kingdom (UK) is leaving the European Union (EU) and the continent is facing increasing antagonism from the US.
Despite the tense relations with the US and UK, Merkel added that Europe's move towards self-reliance should be carried out "of course in friendship with the United States of America, in friendship with Great Britain and as good neighbors wherever that works."
Merkel's statement came as an unsually stark declaration from the leader of Europe's most powerful economy. Relations between Washington and Europe have bee strained since 1945, however this is the first time in years when Eurpean leaders have felt that it is time for them to turn away from the US assistance, The Washington Post reported.
Trump, on Thursday, had allegedly denounced Germans in a meeting with the European Union officials in Brussels. Report state that the US President said, "Germans are bad, very bad," according to Germany's Spiegel Online. He continued, the outlet said, by saying: "See the millions of cars they are selling in the U.S.? Terrible. We will stop this."
The US President also took a strict tone with the European leaders over NATO stating that they had failed to spend enough money on defence. He also withheld from offering a guarantee for European security.
