With his hand still stinging from an awkward handshake with French Prime Minister Emanuel Macron, President Donald Trump has been attacked by one of Europe’s top diplomats for “weakening” the west.

German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel launched a scathing attack on the US President Tuesday morning (AEST), accusing the US government of standing “against the interests of the European Union”.

Just a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that Europe could no longer completely rely on traditional allies such as the US and Britain, Gabriel went a step further.

“Anyone who accelerates climate change by weakening environmental protection, who sells more weapons in conflict zones and who does not want to politically resolve religious conflicts is putting peace in Europe at risk,” he told European leaders on the sidelines of the third Berlin roundtable discussion on refugees and migration.

“The short-sighted policies of the American government stand against the interests of the European Union. The West has become smaller, at least it has become weaker.” 

President Trump frustrated European leaders at both the NATO and G7 summits last week, where he refused to endorse NATO’s collective defence principle or the Paris climate agreement. 

Mr Gabriel called on Europe to stand up to the current US administration and not shy away from offering criticism. 

“The Trump administration wants to terminate climate agreements, wants to enforce military action in crisis regions and won’t allow people from certain religious circles to enter the US,” he said.

“If the Europeans are not resolutely opposing to this right now, the migration flow to Europe will continue to grow. Those who do not oppose this US policy are guilty.”

A frosty handshake with President Macron got all the headlines at the end of President Trump’s European tour, but it was Ms Merkel’s views on his visit that left onlookers with a deeper sense of unease. 

After meeting with the US president, Ms Merkel hinted that Europe must go it alone to prosper in a new world order where Mr Trump is in power.

“The times when we could fully rely on others have passed us by a little bit, that’s what I’ve experienced in recent days,” she said while speaking at an event in Munich, just days after after a Group of Seven (G7) summit marked by strains between Mr Trump and his Western allies.

“For that reason, I can only say: we Europeans really have to take our fate into our own hands.

“There could be rocky times ahead where old alliances can no longer be taken for granted.”