German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Joe Biden agreed in a phone call on Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic and other global challenges could only be tackled through closer cooperation, a government spokesman in Berlin said on Monday.
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Transatlantic relations cooled under former President Donald Trump, who attacked Germany repeatedly for its export strength and its relatively low NATO defense spending.
In their first phone call since Biden took office, Merkel congratulated him on his inauguration. "At the same time, she declared Germany's willingness to take on responsibility in dealing with international tasks together with its European and transatlantic partners," the government spokesman said.
Merkel and Biden agreed that more international efforts were needed to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. "In this context, the Chancellor welcomed the return of the United States to the World Health Organization," the spokesman added.
