US President Barack Obama has called for greater European unity, describing it as a necessity for the world. Speaking in Germany, he accused Europe of complacency over its own defence and called on Nato allies to spend more on international security.
Mr. Obama also appealed to the EU to rise above current divisions which, he said, were weakening the continent. A migrant crisis and a UK referendum on EU membership in June have raised questions about Europe’s unity. Mr. Obama called on EU states to share the burden of mass migration and see off those he accused of “exploiting people’s fears”.
Speaking in Hannover, Mr. Obama said he was to send up to 250 more special forces troops to Syria to support local militias in the fight against so-called Islamic State (IS). The new deployment will bring to 300 the number of US special forces soldiers in Syria.