Merkel and Trump discuss Skripal case

US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed a number of issues in a phone call, including the Skripal case, trade policy, the Syrian conflict and North Korea, the White House said.

Trump and Merkel also discussed “joining forces to counter” China’s economic practices and alleged intellectual property theft, the White House said.

Trump, in the call with Merkel also praised the coordinated decision with governments across Europe to expel Russian diplomats. The expulsions were intended to punish the Kremlin for a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain that has been blamed on Moscow,  Reuters reported.