A New Era: Merz and Trump's Conversation on Ukraine and Trade
Initial telephone conversation: Merz and Trump aim to resolve trade disagreement promptly
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In a surprisingly positive, cordial conversation two days post his inauguration, the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gabbed with US President Donald Trump on the phone. Trump pledged his support for European peace initiatives concerning Ukraine. They also agreed to steer clear of an all-out trade war.
Post-call reports described it as a "strikingly amiable, casual, and polite interaction" from the government's side.
Politics Insider Source: "Trump downplays Merz's chances as Chancellor"
The chat went down on Thursday night, two days after Merz's election and installation in the Bundestag. Trump reportedly congratulated him on this. Merz, in return, promised the US would remain a "vital ally and partner" for Germany on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Ukraine was the primary topic of their thirty-minute phone conversation. Both shared a commitment to close cooperation aiming to end the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Merz echoed Trump's call for an immediate halt to the violence. He stressed that Russia should agree to a ceasefire to pave the way for negotiations. Trump promised to back Merz's efforts rigorously, working in tandem with France, Britain, Poland, and other European partners to bring about lasting peace.
Tariff Tussle nearing an End?
The second subject of their discussion was the trade feud between the U.S. and the EU. They agreed to settle the US-EU disputes expeditiously, but a resolution is yet to materialize. Just prior to the call, the EU Commission announced that it was readying additional tariffs on US exports worth up to 95 billion euros should negotiations with Washington fail to produce a solution.
Politics Whispers from inside: "Trump doubts Merz as Chancellor"
In July, the 90-day deadline set by Trump for EU offers will expire. If an accord is not reached by then, Trump intends to impose extensive new tariffs on EU imports. These levies would be added to the existing tariffs he's already imposed.
Merz recently criticized the US government for casting the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution's classification of the AfD as "confirmed right-wing extremist." Simultaneously, he advocated for the EU and US to eliminate all tariffs altogether. "I don't want us to plunge into an open trade war," he asserted. He also advocated for substantial expansion of mutual recognition of technological standards.
Merz Invites Trump to Germany
Merz and Trump barely knew each other before this conversation. They had only briefly crossed paths once in New York years ago. According to government sources, Merz extended an invitation to Trump to visit Germany. He also reminded Trump of his German roots, mentioning that Trump's ancestors hailed from Kallstadt on the Wine Route in Rhineland-Palatinate. Trump's forebearers left for New York at the end of the 19th century.
Early Start ntv Early Start Insight: "Merz to win Brownie Points with Trump" Trump hinted that a trip to Germany could be on the cards. As president, he has so far only been to Germany for the G20 summit in 2017 apart from Ramstein stopovers.
Trump, in turn, invited Merz to the US. Merz, publicly, has expressed his desire to visit the US before the G7 and NATO summits in June, within the next six weeks. The G7 summit will take place in Canada in mid-June, followed by the NATO summit in The Hague.
Sources: ntv.de, ino/als/dpa/rts
- Friedrich Merz
- Donald Trump
- Ukraine War
- Tariffs
- The economic and monetary union, a key aspect of European peace initiatives, was given significant attention in the conversation between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Donald Trump.
- During their dialogue, Trump and Merz agreed to prioritize the resolution of US-EU disputes to avoid an all-out trade war, although a definitive agreement remains elusive.
- The commitment of both leaders to a ceasefire in Ukraine was emphasized, as they urged Russia to agree to end the violence and facilitate negotiations for peace.
- Merz, in his role as Chancellor, extended an invitation to Trump to visit Germany, reminding him of his German roots in Kallstadt on the Wine Route in Rhineland-Palatinate.
