German Chancellor Angela Merkel has suggested her country and Europe can no longer rely on Britain and the US in the wake of Brexit and Donald Trump's election.

Speaking at a campaign event in Munich on Sunday (28 May), Merkel said Germany should strive to maintain a good relationship with the US and Britain as well as Russia, but said it was time for Germany to be more self-reliant and look towards other European allies for support.

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"The times in which we could completely depend on others are on the way out," she said.

"I've experienced that in the last few days. We Europeans truly have to take our fate into our own hands."

Merkel made the comments after returning from the G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily where she met with Trump among others, who clearly frustrated the chancellor.

European leaders were trying to convince the US president of the benefits of the Paris climate agreement to Trump, but he walked away from the summit without making any firm commitments on the deal.

"The entire discussion about climate was very difficult, if not to say very dissatisfying," Merkel said.

"There are no indications whether the United States will stay in the Paris Agreement or not."

Trump, however, came out of the G7 meetings with a far more optimistic outlook, tweeting: "Just returned from Europe. Trip was a great success for America. Hard work but big results!"

Going forward, Merkel indicated her priority lay with building a closer relationship with France, after speaking highly of new President Emmanuel Macron.

"Where Germany can help, Germany will help, because Germany can only do well if Europe is doing well."

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