Germany: We are America’s partner, not this country’s follower – Mehr news agency RCO News Agency

According to the Mehr News Agency, quoted by Al Jazeera, German Chancellor Friedrich Mertes stressed: We must take over the security affairs of our countries and reduce our dependence on others. We must invest in European defense.

He added: We proved in the European Union that we will never allow them to threaten us with customs tariffs again. With our alliance, we were able to prevent the decision of the American president to increase customs tariffs. We lost 59 of our soldiers in Afghanistan and we will not allow these efforts, which America itself took advantage of, to be ridiculed.

Mertes said: Whoever wants to use customs tariffs against Europe should know that we can defend ourselves if necessary. We will never accept that America mocks our efforts in the world. We are America’s partner, not its follower.