BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel sought advice from the pope on dealing with Donald Trump when he was first elected U.S. president, hoping to find ways of convincing a man she saw as having a property developer's winner-or-loser mentality not to quit the Paris climate accords.

Germany's Angela Merkel recalls tricky dealings with world leaders from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin during her 16-year chancellorship in her frank memoirs, published as her legacy comes under intense scrutiny.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel writes in her memoir, Freedom: Memoirs 1954 - 2021, that Russian leader Vladimir Putin planned his invasion of Ukraine after her resignation in order to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel is speaking out about her experiences with President-elect Donald Trump and other world leaders during her time in office — often in less-than-flattering ways.

Merkel says she felt “sorrow” at Donald Trump’s return to power and recalls that every meeting with him was “a competition: you or me.”

In her new memoir the German former chancellor writes that Trump seemed to find Vladimir Putin ‘very fascinating’

Angela Merkel discusses in her memoir how she sought advice from Pope Francis on handling Donald Trump, especially concerning the Paris climate accords. She details her diplomatic challenges with Trump,

Angela Merkel’s memoir reveals controversial moments from her tenure, including her missteps with Trump, NATO debates, and advice from Pope Francis. A candid look at global politics.