title: Germany expects U.S. to stand by long-standing commitment to Europe: defense minister
text: BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany should act as a “bridge-builder” to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and help clear up unanswered questions about his views on conflicts in Iraq, Syria and U.S. ties to Europe, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday. Von der Leyen, asked whether she feared that the United States under Trump could weaken its support for Europe or Germany in the face of a heightened threat from Russia, told Reuters that she expected Washington to stick to its longstanding commitment to trans-Atlantic ties. “Our expectation is that the American commitment to that friendship will continue unabated,” she said. “My wish is that we find a common basis for understanding because the problems    are big enough and we must tackle them together.” 