Downplaying the increased tensions between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Berlin's envoy to Washington Peter Wittig has described the bilateral relationship as "good and productive". The U.S. spends 3.6 percent.
Germany's outspoken top diplomat claimed that the Trump administration's controversial policies are undermining Western values and the worldwide order based on these values.
The US and Germany are also not on the same page on climate change issue.
"We Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands", Merkel said, while also stressing the importance of maintaining friendly relations with the two nations, as well as other countries, "even Russian Federation". "Very bad for U.S. This will change".
At a summit last week, Germany, like other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation members, vowed to present an action plan on how it will increase defense spending.
The post-World War II era during which European countries could rely on other powerful countries - an apparently thinly veiled reference to Trump's "America first" presidency and the U.K.'s exit from the European Union - is "over to a certain extent", Merkel continued.
Sessions to testify in public intelligence hearing
Republican Senator James Lankford, also a member of that committee, agreed the panel needed to hear any tapes that may exist. Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Sessions requested that the committee hearing be public.
Martin Schulz, Merkel's main challenger for the chancellery in the September elections, even admonished Trump for his "unacceptable" treatment of Merkel.
"It is inappropriate that we are now communicating with each other between a beer tent and Twitter", he said in Berlin. "That's what I've experienced in the last few days". "We Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands, of course in friendship with the United States, in friendship with Great Britain, with other neighbors wherever possible, also with Russian Federation ... But we need to know that we have to fight for our own future and destiny as Europeans", Merkel said.
In Washington, Trump administration officials appeared to try to soften the message underlying Mr Trump's tweet with comments emphasising the importance of US-European ties. During his trip, Trump rejected pressure from G-7 allies to commit to abiding by the 2015 Paris climate accord and berated 23 of NATO's 28 members - including Germany - for "still not paying what they should be paying" toward the funding of the alliance.
Later, while addressing the Indo-German Business Summit, PM Modi also talked about the launch of GST, saying that it is among the most historic reforms to be implemented in the country. What this means exactly is unknown, but earlier Trump did point to a possible ban on the sales of German cars as being one potential move that could be made.
Trump is right - in 2016 the US trade gap with Germany was $67.8 billion, the second largest in the world. "This means working in friendship with the United States, the UK, and neighbourly relations with Russian Federation and other partners", Spicer said.
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