Berlin Reminds Trump of NATO's Importance for US Foreign Policy

The German government’s coordinator for transatlantic cooperation said he was sure Donald Trump would use the partnership "as a very important instrument in US foreign policy".

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Juergen Hardt, the German government’s coordinator for transatlantic cooperation, congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday on winning the US presidency and reminded him of NATO’s role in the US foreign policy.

"We will extend our hand to the new US administration in the hope of seeing a close and reliable cooperation in the years to come…. I am sure that President Trump will soon realize the meaning of transatlantic partnership and will use it as a very important instrument in US foreign policy," the Foreign Ministry official said in a statement.

Hardt stressed that transatlantic cooperation remained an "unshakable pillar" of Germany’s foreign policy. "This includes a close cooperation within the NATO alliance," he said.

The billionaire businessman beat the former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in the race for US presidency on Tuesday. Trump previously accused NATO allies of not contributing their fair share and threatened to withdraw the country from the alliance if elected US president.