Germany to step up fight in Syria

She countered politicians in some countries who have warned that the refugee crisis has exposed problems in Europe’s Schengen passport-free area, saying that states must develop it further by agreeing on migrant quotas.

“Europe must find ways to ensure that migrants are dealt with in the countries neighboring Syria”.

French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron and his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, have proposed setting up a 10 billion euro (NZ$16.2 billion) fund to pay for tighter security, external border controls and caring for refugees.

Her decision to welcome Syrian refugees has won her plaudits but also sparked a backlash, with some senior ministers openly questioning the approach and her usually stellar poll ratings slipping several points.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Mr Valls and President Francois Hollande in Paris on Wednesday evening.

A German frigate could help protect the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the eastern Mediterranean, from which fighter jets carry out bombing runs, and the tanker aircraft could refuel them mid-air to extend their range, she said.

Otte said that “the IS can only be defeated militarily, therefore no idea must be ruled out as we engage in the fight against Islamist terrorism”.

And his warning also came alongside what appeared to be a sly dig at German leader Angela Merkel, who said migrants are welcome in Europe, as he declared: “It was not France that said come”.

“Today the government took hard but important and necessary decisions”, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told reporters after meeting with lawmakers.

Mrs Merkel has come under fire for her welcoming comments to refugees, many of which are fleeing war and persecution in the Middle East and north Africa, after the flow pouring into Europe turned into unprecedented numbers.

In a 40-minute speech to the Bundestag’s lower house, Merkel said the security threat level in Germany was high but people must carry on with normal life. “We all joined together in the awareness that we’re firmly at France’s side”, she said as quoted by Bloomberg.

For Merkel, Germany’s refugee influx, predicted to reach one million people this year, has become the biggest challenge of her chancellorship as she marked 10 years in office over the weekend.

“Germany will be a more active contributor than it has been until now”, he added.

Sweden has taken in 80,000 asylum seekers in the last two months alone, causing its asylum system to collapse.