Germany’s defence minister Ursula von der Leyen has launched a scathing attack on Donald Trump, saying that the US president is a man without a plan, The Local reported.

“There is no recognizable strategy in the president’s approach to Russia,” said von der Leyen in an interview with the upcoming edition of the Spiegel.

Von der Leyen also suggested that Trump’s hostility to Chancellor Angela Merkel was down to the fact that she didn’t fit into his perceptions of women.

“A woman like Angela Merkel, a globally admired head of government with many years of experience has probably not featured in his world view before,” said von der Leyen.

“At the beginning, he didn’t even want to shake her hand. Now he is much more respectful."