As European leaders struggle to make sense of Donald Trump’s inroads in the US presidential election, the first German government member to give a view is defence minister Ursula von der Leyen this morning.
Speaking on German television, she appealed to Mr Trump to avoid isolationism. “It’s in Europe’s interest that the US remains open to the world,” she said.
She added however that there were many “open questions” about the Republican candidate’s intentions, including his attitude to Nato and towards Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Ms von der Leyen said he would be right to ask European states about their military contribution to Nato, which is already growing. But European leaders would be asking him what his relationship to the alliance would be.
The election result, she said, was “a big shock.”
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