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Angela Merkel has called for the creation of a “real” European army in a swipe at Donald Trump, echoing language used by Emmanuel Macron.

In a speech to European Union ministers on the future of the bloc, the German chancellor called for an integrated EU military.

"The times when we could rely on others are over. This means we Europeans have to take our fate fully into our own hands," she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

"We should work on a vision of one day establishing a real European army."

It comes after the French president’s calls for European defence planning, operations and weapons development.

Mr Macron's call, which reflects a broad trend of EU thinking but is not universally accepted, was meant to show European willingness to meet US demands that Europe does more for its own security and relies less on America.

But on Twitter last week, Mr Trump accused Mr Macron of seeking to develop the EU's own military to defend itself from the US.

EU and French officials said this was a misunderstanding.

They said Mr Macron had been referring to computer hackers who could attack Europe from anywhere, including from inside the US.

The US president took aim at his French counterpart again on Tuesday, blasting France over its record in two world wars, its wine industry and Mr Macron's approval ratings.

Ms Merkel said such an armed forces would not undermine the US-led military alliance NATO but could be complementary to it.

Her remarks drew loud applause but also boos from nationalist members.

She also called for the creation of a European security council.

First proposed in the 1950s and taken up four years ago by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in response to fraying EU unity, an EU armed forces is seen as strengthening the global power of the bloc.

Additional reporting by agencies