G7: EU must rely on self now, Tajani (2)

(ANSA) - Brussels, May 29 - European Parliament Speaker Antonio Tajani told ANSA Monday on the results of the G7 summit and the rift between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel that "the European Union must grow, we must assume our responsibilities in the field of defence but also of relations with Africa". He said "we must grow, we can't continue to count on the aid of Uncle Sam", even though this "must not turn into a rift" and the US "remains our privileged ally". The change in the EU "has been coming for some time", Tajani went on, when asked about the German chancellor's plans to hasten European integration. "We must shine with out own light," he said, recalling that the need to strengthen common European defence "is already in the March 25 document" signed on the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. As for transatlantic ties, he said "there are differences on environmental policy, on which we must go ahead on our own road but in talks in Brussels and at the G7 "agreements were registered too: in any case the EU and the US remain two sides of the same coin".