Friedrich Merz has held talks with US President Donald Trump in the White House, his first visit to Washington since becoming Germany’s chancellor.
The three topics that were most important during the meeting were defence spending, tariffs and Ukraine and according to a press statement released by Merz shortly before the meeting, the German side was well prepared for the meeting.
German Council of Foreign Relations senior research fellow Rachel Tausenfreund said the meeting “could not have gone better for Merz.”
Tausenfreund says Merz’s answers were “well crafted” and that “specifics over the tough trade negotiations were avoided.”
Trump said the White House was in good shape, that the new administration had “fixed it up, and having it tippy toppy” like “they have in Germany.”
On Ukraine
Trump said both leaders feel it is “very sad” what is going on in Ukraine and added that between five and six thousand soldiers a week are being killed there.
The US president mentioned the 75-minute phone conversation he had had with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, where Putin reportedly promised to retaliate to Ukraine’s audacious drone strikes deep inside Russia on Sunday that that took out a third of the country’s bombers.
Trump said that he didn’t think Putin was “playing games,” and blamed former President Joe Biden for the full scale invasion starting. Trump also said he thinks Putin wants “the whole thing,” referring to all of Ukraine.
Merz suggested he wanted Germany and the US to play a joint role in ending the war.
Merz also underlined the good relationship between Germany and US and said he was looking forward to “good cooperation” between both nations.
On military matters
Merz highlighted Germany’s commitment to NATO after the government locked in billions of euros of additional defence spending.
Relations between Germany and the US had grown frosty, particularly after the Trump administration accused Europe of “freeloading,” regarding NATO and defence spending.
The US administration is frustrated over what it views as insufficient European contributions.
“We want to have the strongest conventional army in Europe,” Merz said in the press release ahead of the conference.
Trump welcomed the increase in Germany’s spending on defence, although suggested he would eventually cap Germany’s efforts to rearm.
Merz said that Europe still needs US support and friendship ahead of Friday’s D-Day anniversary.
Trump claimed that under the Biden administration, the numbers for US recruitment for the army were the lowest ever, but now they have broken records. Merz asked how as Germany is having a tough time filling reserves, to which Trump replied: “spirit. They love our country again and you’re going to do the same thing.”
Trump called Merz “difficult” but a good man and said he could imagine US troops would remain in Germany.
Director of the Aspen Institute, Dr Stormy-Annika Mildner, says that whilst confrontational with tariff threats and talk of troop withdrawals, “this partnership requires more active management than ever. All the more important, then, that Chancellor Merz sought an early dialogue in Washington.”
Differences between nations
“It seems good work was done ahead of time to let Trump know that Merz had different positions from Merkel on issues which are important to Trump. Trump seemed eager to position himself as a friend to Merz,” Tausenfreund added.
On the topic of Trump’s recent US travel ban on citizens from 12 countries, the US president said: “I even hate to say this in front of the chancellor, but you have a little problem too with some of the people you let in. It’s not your fault,” and suggested he had warned former chancellor Angela Merkel not to open the borders in 2015 to allow over a million Syrian refugees in.
Regarding tariffs, Europe is in danger of becoming flooded by steel after Trump increased tariffs on aluminium and steel to 50%.
Asides from that the EU is also facing a 25% tariff on cars and a 10% levy on all other imports. The US has also launched several investigations into pharma, semiconductors and aircrafts that could lead to further tariffs. Trump has further threatened to impose a 50% tariff on all EU goods as of 9 July if negotiations fail to meet his expectations.
Dr Stormy-Annika Mildner told Euronews that the relationship with the United States remains central to Germany “both economically and politically.”
On the subject of China and Trump’s phone call with leader Xi Jinping, Trump said they struck a deal, but they needed to make sure “everyone understands what the deal is.”
He also said Jinping will be visiting the US and he’ll be visiting China with US First Lady Melania Trump.