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The German Chancellor will host the summit of leaders of the Group of 20 economic powers in Hamburg on 7 and 8 July.

Ahead of that summit, she is hosting a meeting of the European leaders who will take part in the summit later on Thursday at the chancellery in Berlin. “We cannot expect easy discussions on climate change at the G20 summit,” Merkel said. “Our differences with the US are clear."”

A clash between Angela Merkel and Donald Trump appears unavoidable after Germany signalled that it will make climate change, free trade and the management of forced mass global migration the key themes of the G20 summit in Hamburg, the Guradian says.

The G20 summit brings together the world’s biggest economies, representing 85% of global gross domestic product (GDP), and Merkel’s chosen agenda looks likely to maximise American isolation while attempting to minimise disunity amongst others.

Donald Trump has blasted Germany for not living up to its NATO contribution, as well as pressing for trade equity between the two nations when it comes to automobile exports.

Martin Schulz, Merkel’s rival in the upcoming September election, has slammed the Chancellor for not standing up to US President Trump.

The German Social Democrat (SPD), has been campaigning on an anti-Trump message in his bid to remove the Merkel administration, which has ruled over Germany now for over a decade. Schulz is considered a long shot to remove Merkel from power, despite taking a brief lead in the polls back in January.

According to Deutsche Welle, Schulz is telling German voters that Merkel does not go far enough to counter comments about Germany by US president Trump.

“I would say to Trump: We don’t agree with your reasoning over a military buildup, which isn’t justified by anything.” “The German chancellor must sometimes dare to be in conflict with the American president.”

Schulz told Germany’s Welt an Sommtag newspaper:

“Should we be making concessions to Trump, Erdogan and Putin? No.”

Schulz is no anti-establishment candidate by any measure. He was the former president of the EU.

A recent survey from German polling agency INSA showed that 37% of voters in the country favor Angela Merkel and just 24% support Martin Schultz.

*(Angela Merkel, German Federal Chancellor talking with Martin Schulz, former President of the European Parliament. Image credit: Herman Van Rompuy/ flickr).