Germany says can't figure out Trump's foreign policy goals

Official says there still is no clear picture of what kind of policy the Trump administration wants

BERLIN: German officials who have held talks with members of US President-elect Donald Trump's transition team have not been able to figure out what kind of foreign and security policy his administration wants to pursue, a spokesperson said on Friday.

"It ultimately remains the case that there still is no clear, coherent and comprehensive picture of what kind of foreign and security policy the new Trump administration wants to pursue in the world," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Schaefer told a regular government news conference.



Trump has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and nominated people seen as friendly toward Moscow to senior administration posts.

Should Trump seek to improve relations with Kremlin, he could unsettle Germany, whose Chancellor Angela Merkel has supported the extension of European Union sanctions against Russia over its role in the conflict in Ukraine.