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Article snippet: BERLIN — A combative Chancellor climate change and trade when she hosts a summit meeting of 20 global leaders next week. Speaking before Parliament on a day when she also gathered European Union leaders in Berlin to form a common front, the German leader made no bones about the “obvious” disagreement with the United States. “Whoever believes the problems of this world can be solved by isolationism and protectionism is making a tremendous error,” Ms. Merkel said, in what will most likely be her final address before Parliament before closing out her third term in office. In the midst of an election campaign, the chancellor has been criticized by her main opponent for not standing up more forcefully to the American president. Her tough tone to some degree served as domestic political posturing, intended to enhance her appeal as a global leader uniquely qualified to guide Germany after more than 11 years in office. But there was also little doubt that Ms. Merkel was trying to gird Germans and her European Union partners for a more conflictual relationship with the United States, which she said could no longer be counted on as a “reliable” ally after Mr. Trump’s visit to Europe in May. Those divisions are likely to be full display during the Group of 20 summit meeting that begins July 7 in the German city of Hamburg, where Ms. Merkel will welcome not only Mr. Trump but also President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and other leade... Link to the full article to read more