German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for the lifting of all tariffs between the United States and the European Union in his first telephone call with US President Donald Trump on Friday. "I told him that I don't think it's a good idea to escalate this customs dispute,

Germany's Friedrich Merz made clear Friday that Berlin was back at the European top table, ready to help steer the bloc at a time of dizzying challenges, as the new chancellor made his maiden visit to Brussels.

Friedrich Merz did not rule out common European Union borrowing for defence on Friday during his first trip to Brussels as German chancellor, but said it could only be for exceptional circumstances and that he was worried about rising global debt.