Sir, – Derek Scally writes that Germany should define its interests and clarify its global leadership role, now that the country has become Donald Trump's public enemy number one ("What if Trump is right about Germany?"", Opinion & Analysis, August 2nd).
Speaking in Tokyo last week, German foreign minister Heiko Maas proposed that Germany and Japan should become the core of an alliance of multilateralists as a bulwark against Donald Trump.
His Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, enthusiastically welcomed such cooperation.
Perhaps aware of the anxiety such an entente might generate, South Korea, South Africa, Australia and Argentina will be considered as additional strategic partners.
Mr Maas expects the alliance to be in place when Germany joins the Security Council in 2019. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Vienna.