German Chancellor Angela Merkel makes a statement in Vilnius, Lithuania September 14, 2018. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

VILNIUS (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that she wanted the European Union to have a close relationship with Britain when it leaves the bloc and added that the allies should work together closely on security and defense in the future.

“We want good, reliable ties with Britain - we want close cooperation in the fields of security and defense policy and we want cooperation between the 27 member states of the European Union and Britain but it’s also up to Britain how it wants to define its relationship with the European Union,” she said during a news conference in Vilnius.