US Should Look to Germany as EU Leader Post-Brexit - Former US Ambassador

Former US Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns claims that the United States should focus on building its relationship with Europe’s most influential country, Germany, in the aftermath of United Kingdom’s vote to withdraw from the European Union.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States should focus on building its relationship with Europe’s most influential country, Germany, in the aftermath of United Kingdom’s vote to withdraw from the European Union, or Brexit, former US Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns told reporters on Monday.

"Britain was the strongest American partner inside the European Union," Burns said. "So I think that does point to the need for a stronger relationship with Germany and the United States, because Germany is the strongest power in Europe."

Germany is Europe’s most robust economy, followed by the United Kingdom.

In a Monday speech at the Atlantic Council, Burns emphasized that after the Brexit vote, the US-German relationship "becomes central to everything the United States needs to do in Europe."

Burns went on to advocate a stronger Germany both "militarily" as well as "politically."

On Monday, the founding members of the European Union met in Berlin to discuss the implications of the Thursday Brexit vote, where 51.9 percent of UK voters opted to leave the bloc.

On Tuesday, all 28 members of the European Union, including the United Kingdom, will meet to discuss the situation after Brexit.