BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union must spend more on defence and uphold accords on climate change and Iran's nuclear programme, the bloc's foreign ministers said after mulling future ties with US President-elect Donald Trump, who has cast doubt on all three.
"We understand that there will be more American businesslike approach and therefore there should also be more Europe from our side," said Mr Miroslav Lajcak, the foreign minister of Slovakia, which now holds the EU's rotating presidency.
"But no one has ever questioned the outcome of the election or our readiness to work with the United States," he said after a late Sunday (Nov 13) meeting of the bloc.
During the election campaign, Mr Trump suggested he would make US security guarantees for its European allies conditional and has criticised both the international Paris agreement to fight climate change and the deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme.
The EU's top diplomat, Ms Federica Mogherini, said the bloc's foreign and defence ministers will decide on Monday to boost their common defence and security capabilities.