German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday refused to accept US President Donald Trump’s invitation to attend an envisaged summit of the Group of Seven (G7) in the United States, according to the report.
German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told the Politico, “The federal chancellor thanks President Trump for his invitation to the G7 summit at the end of June in Washington”.
“As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington,” Seibert said.
As economies start to reopen across the world, Merkel has warned that June may be too early for large gatherings to take place. Social distancing and strict vigilance have been recommended even as lockdown restrictions are eased in many parts of the world.
“She will of course continue to monitor the development of the pandemic,” Seibert said.
Earlier on Friday, Trump had a telephonic conversation with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and discussed the G7 summit scheduled to be held in Washington next month,stressing the “importance of leaders meeting in the US in person if possible”.
Currently, the US has 1,745,930 confirmed cases and 102,808 deaths, both tallies account for the highest in the world, according to the CSSE.
Germany now has 182,450 positive coronavirus cases and a death toll of 8,450. According to the John Hopkins University coronavirus database, Germany has the eighth highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.
Earlier this week, the White House said that the US leader believes there would be “no greater example of reopening” than holding a G7 summit in the United States near the end of June.
(With inputs from agency)