"This does not mean that we should separate from the Americans. There could be situations when we have some other interests, including those within NATO. In this case, we should be able to act ourselves", Kramp-Karrenbauer told the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The minister also said that the recent developments in Afghanistan made her think about resigning but she decided not to do so, but instead to work further to prevent such situations in the future.
The Taliban* entered Kabul on 15 August, ending a months-long offensive and resulting in the collapse of the US-backed government.
Internationally recognised Afghan President Ashraf Ghani resigned and left the country for the United Arab Emirates. The seizure of power has forced thousands of Afghans to seek an escape from the country for fear of reprisals by the militants.
*The Taliban is a terror group banned in Russia and many other countries.