Obama says EU and U.S. must move forward with TTIP

"It is indisputable" that free trade has strengthened the U.S. economy and also has brought enormous benefits to countries that engage in it, Obama said.

The U.S. president spoke at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of his closest allies in dealing with a shaky global economy and security crises in the Middle East and Ukraine.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Alison Williams)