Munich, Feb. 15 -- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he saw signs of easing tensions in transatlantic relations following the first day of the Munich Security Conference.

"The dust has settled. Both sides are seeing things more clearly again," Pistorius told dpa in Munich on Friday.

He said there was growing mutual recognition in the United States and Europe of what must be achieved together within the alliance.

"It basically says it all: the expectation from the Americans that we will gradually take on responsibility for conventional deterrence and defence in Europe. That doesn't surprise me," he said.

Pistorius said increases in defence budgets in recent years - "not least, but especially in Germany" - showed that Europe ...