United States President Donald Trump set the tone for a tense Nato Summit on Wednesday as he launched a withering attack on Germany, accusing the country of being a “captive” of Russia.

The US leader, speaking in Brussels after arriving in the Belgian capital, said oil and gas deals between Berlin and Moscow had seen Russia gain too much influence over the EU’s largest economy.

He appeared to be attacking German support for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, the new US$11 billion (Dh40.40bn) Baltic Sea pipeline for imports of Moscow’s gas supplies to Europe.

“Germany is totally controlled by Russia … They will be getting between 60 and 70 per cent of their energy from Russia and a new pipeline, and you tell me if that is appropriate because I think it’s not,” Mr Trump said.

“I think it is a very bad thing for Nato and I don’t think it should have happened and I think we have to talk to Germany about it. On top of that, Germany is just paying a little bit over 1 per cent [on defence] … And I think that is inappropriate also,” he added.

The volatile US president made his remarks before a breakfast meeting with Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who has sought to downplay Mr Trump’s combative tone ahead of the summit where 29 heads of state or government will come together at the alliance’s new headquarters in Brussels.

“It’s very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia where we’re supposed to be guarding against Russia and Germany goes out and pays billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia,” Mr Trump said.

“If you look at it, Germany is a captive of Russia,” he said. “They got rid of their coal plants, they got rid of their nuclear, they’re getting so much of their oil and gas from Russia. I think it is something Nato has to look at. It is very inappropriate.”

According to official German data, the country imports just over a third (35.3 per cent) of its oil and gas from Russia.

Mr Stoltenberg looked surprised by Mr Trump’s outburst but he tried to brush off his criticism of Germany as a bilateral matter. (CNN)