They also talked about Germany’s reliance on Russia for some of its energy needs.
Earlier in the day the president criticized Germany for what he said was an insufficient contribution to NATO, said Germany was “totally controlled by Russia.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected accusations by Donald Trump that Germany is “totally controlled by Russia,” reminding the U.S. president that she remembered Soviet occupation, and saying it is “good that we are independent today.”
Trump made the remarks about Germany ahead of a NATO leaders’ summit in Brussels on Wednesday, specifically citing the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.
“I think it’s very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia, where you’re supposed to be guarding against Russia and Germany goes out and pays billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia,” Trump said at a breakfast meeting before the summit.
Merkel also hit back against Trump’s repeated criticism that other NATO members don’t spend enough on defense.
