Secretary Lew: U.S. has 'Immense Stake' in a Strong Europe

The United States needs Europe to be economically strong to ensure its own long-term growth, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said on Tuesday after talks with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

"As we continue to address many of our long-term challenges, our economy's strength remains sensitive to events beyond our shores. We have an immense stake in a prosperous Europe," Lew said at a joint news conference with Schaeuble.

The U.S. official said consumer demand must be the driver for economic growth, adding that policies that encourage this "in countries that have the capacity would be helpful".

(Reporting by Anna Yukhananov, Annika Breidthardt and Noah Barkin; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Stephen Brown)