You can't have euro bonds without more interconnection among the national budget policies.

I notice with a certain sense of regret that far too many Europeans are returning to a regional and national mindset.

I'm always quite amazed that people in Europe become unnerved when two institutions or two people have different views.

You can consider this carved in stone: I rule out becoming Herman Van Rompuy's successor.

Trump is a partner for us who cannot be easily categorized. Putting it in the noblest way possible, his understanding of politics is a little different from ours here in Europe. The way he acts forces us Europeans to take on a new responsibility. We are not standing with our backs up against the wall, but, to put it as pithily as the German chancellor has: We can no longer rely on the U.S. the way we could in the past.

My main concern is to protect people from detriment.

Angela Merkel did the right thing. Her decision and the extraordinary willingness of the German people to take in refugees conveyed an image of Germany that is still having positive repercussions today. Unfortunately, people in Germany are no longer seeing that.