Merkel: Europe must take on more global responsibility

BERLIN – German Chancellor Merkel says Europe can only master global challenges if it is willing to “take on more responsibility in the world in the future.”

The chancellor spoke after receiving a joint honorary doctorate from the Belgian universities of Ghent and Leuven in Brussels on Thursday.

Among other things, she was cited for her defence of values that allow Europe to find unity in diversity.

Merkel said it was naive to rely on other powers to help solve the many crises in the European Union’s neighbourhood, from wars to mass migration and terrorism.

She said that, “from the standpoint of some of our traditional partners — and I’m also thinking of our trans-Atlantic relations here — there is no eternal guarantee to closely work with us Europeans.”