'Our fate in our own hands'

Top European leaders hit back at US President-elect Donald Trump yesterday after he criticised Merkel, welcomed Britain's decision to leave EU, branded the Nato alliance "obsolete" and lashed out at a key nuclear deal with Iran.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted yesterday that "we Europeans have our fate in our own hands".

"I think we Europeans have our fate in our own hands," Merkel told a joint news conference with New Zealand's prime minister in response to comments from US President-elect.

Asked about Trump's criticism of her migrant policy, Merkel said: "I am personally waiting for the inauguration of the US president. Then of course we will work with him on all levels."

German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said Europe should face Donald Trump with "confidence".

"I think we Europeans shouldn't somehow plunge into a deep, great depression," Gabriel told Bild daily following Trump's own interview with the German newspaper and Britain's The Times.

The EU's foreign policy supremo insisted the bloc would stand by the nuclear accord, described by Trump as "one of the dumbest deals I have ever seen".

Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Federica Mogherini said the deal was "proof that diplomacy works and delivers".

"The European Union will continue to work for the respect and implementation of this extremely important deal, most of all for our security," she said.

Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson also defended the deal, saying it had "great merit" and "we want to keep it going".

Germany's top diplomat Frank-Walter Steinmeier acknowledged Nato "concern" over Trump's remarks about the US-led alliance.

Nato yesterday reiterated its full confidence in the US security commitment to Europe, despite Trump sparking fresh uproar by saying the alliance was obsolete.

In a statement, Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg was looking forward to working with Trump and his team.

"He is absolutely confident that the incoming US administration will remain committed to Nato," Lungescu said.

She said the two men had already discussed defence and increased spending, a key issue for many years in Washington which has pushed the allies to share more of the burden.

In his interview, Trump went on to threaten punitive 35 percent tariffs on German carmakers like BMW if they build cars in Mexico and not the United States.