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MUNICH (AP) — Germany's defense minister has told the United States that Washington has an interest in both a stable European Union and a united NATO. And the German official warned against turning the fight against terrorism into a "front against Islam and Muslims."
Minister Ursula von der Leyen also said that it won't be enough in the future for Germany to rely on American military strength and then to "duck away" when things get tough.
She spoke at the opening of the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of diplomats and defense officials. This year, it's an opportunity for many to meet with members of the Trump administration amid concerns over the new president's commitment to NATO and his attitudes toward the EU and Russia.
She was joined at the opening session by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who declared that "Security is always best when provided by a team."
Mattis told fellow NATO members on Wednesday that they need to increase their military spending by year's end or risk seeing the U.S. curtail its defense support.
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153-a-13-(Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, addressing the Munich Security Conference)-"periphery and beyond"-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says the U.S. and Europe are both dealing with growing security challenges. (17 Feb 2017)
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APPHOTO LON115: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, shake hands before joint talks during the Munich Security Conference 2017 in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. The Munich Security Conference 2017 takes place from 17 to 19 February. (Sven Hoppe/Pool Photo via AP) (17 Feb 2017)
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