Donald Trump has declared Germany is a "captive" of Russia as he launched an angry assault on US allies at the start of a two-day NATO summit.
Mr Trump immediately targeted Germany as he spoke in Brussels - citing an "inappropriate" gas deal with Russia that he claimed has left Berlin "totally controlled" by Moscow.
He said: "Germany, as far as I'm concerned, is captive of Russia because it is getting so much of its energy from Russia.
"They pay billions of dollars to Russia and we have to defend them against Russia."
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Bilateral Breakfast with NATO Secretary General in Brussels, Belgium...
"A gas pipeline from Russia to Germany is one issue where allies disagree.
German chancellor Angela Merkel later responded defiantly to Mr Trump's barb.
"I've experienced myself a part of Germany controlled by the Soviet Union and I'm very happy today that we are united in freedom as the Federal Republic of Germany and can thus say that we can determine our own policies and make our own decisions and that's very good," she said.