Europe could arise from the crisis stronger than it had been before, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

According to her, the COVID-19 pandemic put everything upside down, The Berlin Spectator reported.

During Germany’s Presidency of the EU Council, which commences on July 1, 2020, she wants to improve the cooperation.

Apart from the COVID-19 crisis, Merkel intends to use the presidency to work on the relations with the UK after Brexit, climate protection, and migration.

She also wants to work on relations with other partners, including the US. She said the US was Europe’s most important partner, even though the cooperation was “more difficult right now”.

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every 6 months. Germany, which last held this post in 2007, will replace Croatia on July 1, with Portugal to be the next.