Germany Confronts Unpredictability in US Relations, Minister Says

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany faces a "new unpredictability" in relations with the U.S. and will need to provide more military leadership given the unprecedented challenges of Russia's war in Ukraine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday.

Speaking in Berlin hours after the German conservatives under Friedrich Merz clinched a coalition deal with his centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), Pistorius said Germany under its new government would need do more for European security.

"There is a new unpredictability in our transatlantic relations," said Pistorius, who is widely tipped to remain defence minister in Merz's incoming government.

"The United States keep up their commitment to NATO but they quite rightly demand a stronger European contribution in the alliance," he said.

"We will do this together with our European partners and NATO allies, and we will have to provide significantly more leadership as we go along," Pistorius added.

Merz, who previously called President Donald Trump's United States an unreliable ally, has vowed to build up defence spending as Europe faces a hostile Russia, and to support businesses struggling with high costs and weak demand.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; editing by Mark Heinrich)