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Merz meets Trump: Focus on building bridges between the USA and Europe!
Chancellor Merz will meet Trump at the White House on June 5 to discuss Ukraine and transatlantic relations.
Merz meets Trump: Focus on building bridges between the USA and Europe!
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) traveled to Washington on Wednesday evening to meet US President Donald Trump in the White House on Thursday, June 5th. After dinner with the state prime ministers in Berlin, Merz flew to the US capital in a Luftwaffe aircraft. Loud Deutschlandfunk Merz looks forward to the upcoming meeting “with great calm.”
The planned meeting represents the first personal conversation between Merz and Trump since Merz took office on May 6th. The two heads of state have already spoken on the phone and exchanged text messages several times in the past few weeks. These preliminary discussions could create the basis for a relaxed atmosphere in the Oval Office in which the conflict issues between the EU and the USA can be discussed.
Topics of the meeting
A central topic of the conversation will be the war in Ukraine. Merz has announced that he wants to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to promote a ceasefire in Ukraine. In this context, a further EU sanctions package against Russia is also being prepared. Trump recently said that the next two weeks will show whether Putin is taking the negotiations seriously. This represents a crucial aspect in the efforts for peace in the region.
Another important topic will be the ongoing tensions in the customs dispute between the USA and the EU. Merz gets loud Sauerland courier does not intervene in the details of the customs negotiations between the EU Commission and the USA, but has the opportunity to build trust. Trump had previously threatened to impose tariffs of up to 50 percent, but these now have a deadline of July 9th.
Transatlantic relations
Federal Foreign Minister Wadephul emphasized the need to work on good relations with the USA despite existing irritations. He described Germany as a “bridge builder in the transatlantic relationship”. Merz will want to further strengthen this role during his visit.
In addition, Merz expressed anger about US Vice President JD Vance's attacks on European allies and criticism of the AfD's classification by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. This could also be an issue in the talks as transatlantic relations are under various tensions.
The entire visit is expected to last around 17 hours and, in addition to the discussion, will also include a lunch and a press meeting. Merz's strategy will be crucial to strengthening and improving German-American relations at a time of geopolitical challenges.