Germany says European countries can no longer fully rely on the United States, calling for a unified front against Washington after US President Donald Trump called the 28-member bloc a “foe” with regard to trade.

Europe can no longer fully rely on US: Heiko Maas German Foreign Minister
Germany says European countries can no longer fully rely on the United States, calling for a unified front against Washington after US President Donald Trump called the 28-member bloc a “foe” with regard to trade.
AVA- “We can no longer completely rely on the White House,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the country’s Funke newspaper group on Monday.
“To maintain our partnership with the USA we must readjust it. The first clear consequence can only be that we need to align ourselves even more closely in Europe,” he added.
Reaffirming the same remarks, Maas said in a tweet later that “in order to recalibrate our partnership with the US we need a united, confident and sovereign Europe!”
The top German diplomat’s comments came a day after Trump said in an interview with CBS News that the EU was a "foe."
"Well, I think we have a lot of foes ... Now you wouldn't think of the European Union, but they're a foe," the US president said, adding that the EU has "really taken advantage of us on trade" though this "does not mean that they are bad.”
Germany's European affairs minister, Michael Roth, also on Monday called for unity among the EU member states and accused the US president of "provoking" a response from Europe.
"He is trying to bring about a split in the EU. He is describing us as enemies. We do not see it like that at all," Roth said, adding that the EU should not be unsettled by Trump's "in part very aggressive, untruthful and not particularly constructive" comments.
The minister noted that "indignation alone will not help,” and "the only thing that helps is clear language, and a clear united position.”
In response to Trump's remarks, President of the European Council Donald Tusk, however, said the union and Washington were “best friends,” and noted that the two sides being foes was “fake news.”