Trump, Merkel Assert 'Fundamental Importance'

US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the "fundamental importance" of the NATO alliance to transatlantic ties in their first telephone conversation on Saturday. 
The alliance was vital in "ensuring the peace and stability of our North Atlantic community," the two leaders said, dpa cited a joint press statement released after the 45-minute conversation. 
"The leaders recognized that NATO must be capable of confronting 21st century threats and that our common defence requires appropriate investment in military capabilities to ensure all Allies are contributing their fair share to our collective security," the statement said. 
Trump has repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of NATO, and has said he plans to pressure NATO members who don't spend 2 per cent of their GDP on defence to up their spending. 
The German and US leaders agreed to further deepen bilateral relations in the coming years. 
Trump would attend the G20 summit in Hamburg in July, both sides said, while Merkel would be coming to Washington "soon," according to her spokesman Steffen Seibert.

Source: QNA