'Europe loses the most due to the trade conflict between the United States and China and strategic exacerbation of relations between the United States on the one hand, and Russia with China on the other', Maas said speaking at the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum, organized by the Korber Foundation.
According to the minister, Europe must make a stand on the geopolitical scene, which is fraught with increasing competition between world powers. He mentioned that the race for technological supremacy fueled this competition, including in the field of armaments.
Europe Should ‘Invest More’ in Ties With US
The German Foreign Minister has also expressed his opinion on the need of Europe, including Germany, to work on their ties with the United States whose focus is moving away from the longtime ally.
'The transatlantic partnership was and still is for Germany an established strategic need. But American interest in Europe was waning even before President Donald Trump came to power. As Europeans, as Germans, we need to invest more in this partnership', Maas noted.
READ MORE: German Ex-Chancellor Brands US Ambassador in Berlin 'Occupant Officer'
The statement has been made after ties between the United States and Germany soured in recent months after Washington moved to limit EU imports and ordered an inquiry into whether EU-made cars were threatening the automotive market at home. German cars make up a significant share of those imports.
The Berlin Foreign Policy Forum, where Maas has made his statements, is an annual high-level foreign policy meeting in Berlin aimed at stimulating interest in central foreign policy topics in Germany and other countries. The event brings together high-profile world politicians and well-known experts. The forum has been held since 2011.
