Germany expects U.S. to stand by long-standing commitment to Europe: defense minister

Germany should act as a "bridge-builder" to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and help clear up unanswered questions about his views on conflicts in Iraq, Syria and U.S. ties to Europe, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday. Von der Leyen, asked whether she feared that the United States under Trump could weaken its support for Europe or Germany in the face of a heightened threat from Russia, told Reuters that she expected Washington to stick to its longstanding commitment to tr