Angela Merkel has called on Europe and its allies to cooperate with Russia in the fight against Isis in spite of tensions over Syria, Ukraine, alleged cyber attacks and the propagation of “fake news”.

“The joint fight against Islamic terrorism is one area where we have the same interests and we can work together,” the German Chancellor told the annual Munich Security Conference.

The US Vice President was among world leaders in the audience for the speech, which came amid continued disputes over Russia’s alleged interference in elections in the US and Germany.

Mike Pence claims there was no contact between Russia and Trump campaign

Ms Merkel was among the many critics of Donald Trump’s attempt to ban immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries, saying Islam itself was not a source of terrorism and targeted countries must be included in the fight against extremism.

The US-led international coalition and Russia are backing opposite sides in the Syrian civil war – even though both target Isis – while also imposing waves of sanctions and counter sanctions over the Kremlin’s involvement in Ukraine.

Russia has been accused of violating international law in both countries, annexing Crimea in 2014 and conducting indiscriminate bombing raids amounting to war crimes in support of Syria’s autocratic President Bashar al-Assad.

Tensions have risen further over allegations that the Kremlin backed cyber attacks attempting to influence the US and German elections, as well as controversy over “fake news” spread by state-funded outlets including Russia Today and Sputnik.

“We know that Russia communicates very openly that it views hybrid warfare as a form of defence,” Ms Merkel said when questioned on the issue.

In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria Â© TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps Â© TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis

“If I could wish for one thing, it would certainly be very good to get this topic, for example, on the agenda in the framework of Nato-Russia talks.”

The Russian government has denied involvement in hacking attempts and accused Nato and Western media in turn of conducting a “propaganda war” against it.

While repeatedly professing his admiration for Vladimir Putin and desire to improve relations with Russia, Mr Trump called Nato “obsolete” during his election campaign and questioned US funding for the alliance.

But on Saturday, his deputy Mike Pence told the Munich Security Conference the US would be “unwavering” in its commitment to the transatlantic military alliance.

“Your struggles are our struggles,” the Vice President said. “Your success is our success. And ultimately, we walk into the future together.”

Ms Merkel had pledged to do “everything possible” to hit Nato spending targets, with uneven contributions repeatedly targeted by Mr Trump, and appealed to the US to bolster international organisations like the EU and UN.