German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande have called for European unity in facing growing internal and external threats, in a joint message on Friday.
The threats highlighted by Merkel and Hollande included a rise of populism across the continent and threats from the US to scrap a free trade deal.
“Europe faces big internal and external challenges which we … can only master by working together,” Merkel told a news conference on Friday with Hollande.
She added: “We need a clear, common commitment to the European Union, to what we have accomplished, and to the values of our liberal, democratic democracies.”
Hollande said the rise of populists on the continent was a major threat for the European Union.
“To be very honest, what threatens Europe doesn’t only come from outside. It is also from inside. This means the rise of extremists who use external factors to cause disruption internally,” Hollande said.
The two leaders did not take questions.
Both Merkel and Hollande are expected to speak to with US President Donald Trump on Saturday, an announcement from the White House said.
Reuters learnt that Merkel is expected to speak with Trump about Russia and sanctions imposed on Moscow in regards to the crisis in Ukraine.
Trump is also expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Source: Reuters
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