The German Chancellor on Friday reiterated that the result of the British referendum was a "decisive turning point" in the development of the European Union (EU).

In a joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande in Berlin, Angela Merkel added that the affirmation of the remaining EU member states to stand together was "all the more important".

Ahead of a visit with Hollande to the Christmas market attack site in which 12 people died on 19 December, Merkel said that France and Germany were "closely aligned" in their response to extremism and "will not allow our way of life to be taken from us".

Merkel also referred, without directly referencing US President Donald Trump, to "dramatic and fast change" in the world, saying it was necessary to defend "a liberal-democratic society" and "free trade".

Berlin - 27 January 2017

1. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande arriving

2. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:

"There is much to be discussed, in a situation in which the European Union (EU) faces great internal and external challenges, which we can only solve together - as is our (Merkel's and Hollande's) joint conviction. We know that the referendum in Great Britain is a decisive turning point for the development of the European Union (EU). All the more important is the affirmation, which we also committed to in Bratislava (where representatives of 27 EU member states met in September 2016 without Britain), for the 27 member states to stand together and jointly and with ambition work to deal with the challenges."

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3. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:

"We are experiencing dramatic and fast change in the condition of global frameworks. And we have to answer to these new challenges, with regard to the defence of a liberal-democratic society, with regard to the defence of free trade, as well as the economic challenges that come with the increasing competitiveness of developing countries."

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4. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:

"Leter, and I am very happy about this, the French President (Francois Hollande) and I will go to the Breitscheidplatz to honour the victims of the terror attack before Christmas. We know that we are together in facing the danger of Islamist terrorism, and that only together we can ward off this danger. With our joint path we also want to make it clear that we will not allow our way of life to be taken from us, as the Parisians and French have so impressively demonstrated, and it is also in this answer to Islamist terrorism that we are closely aligned."

5. Merkel and Holland shaking hands and leaving