Merkel, Biden agree in phone call to strengthen transatlantic cooperation

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses a news conference at the Bundespressekonferenz, about the current situation of the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Berlin, Germany, January 21, 2021. Michael Kappeler/Pool via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in a phone call on Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic and other global challenges can only be tackled through closer cooperation, a government spokesman in Berlin said on Monday.

Transatlantic relations cooled sharply under former President Donald Trump, who attacked Germany repeatedly for its export strength and its relatively low defence spending within the NATO alliance.