German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends the 5th African Union - European Union (AU-EU) summit in Abidjan, Ivory Coast November 29, 2017. "Despite all the difficulties that we have these days, the transatlantic relationship is and remains paramount," Merkel, whose fourth term atop a coalition started in March after her conservatives made big losses in a Sept. vote, told lawmakers. "But these transatlantic relationships also must be able to deal with differences of opinion. She also said she supported developing the ESM "to give it tasks that come close to those of a international monetary fund". This is a smaller step than Macron wants.

Source: Egypt Today May 16, 2018 10:41 UTC