Chatting it Up with the Big Cheese: Merz Ventures to D.C - Sitting Down with Trump
Traveled to Washington - Encounter with Trump - Trump holds talks with Merz in Washington
Here's the deal: Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is making a beeline for Washington D.C., setting up a powwow with the Oval Office's resident impresario, Donald Trump, on Thursday (17:30 CEST). The lineup for the day includes a lunch shindig and a presser in the Oval Office (roughly 18:45 CEST), the same turf that's witnessed its fair share of drama during visits with Ukraine's Prez, Volodymyr Zelensky, and South Africa's commander-in-chief, Cyril Ramaphosa.
The main topic on the agenda will be wrapping up the Ukraine war, beefing up NATO's defenses against global threats on the rise, and settling the beef between the U.S. and the EU. It's no secret that Merz ain't hopping on that plane to D.C. as a beggar. He'll be representing Europe's positions assertively.
Merz and Trump already had a fleeting encounter back in the day in New York City. Since Merz got the gig four weeks ago, they've caught up a few times - both one-on-one and in larger gatherings with a gang of Euro heads of state, discussing the Ukraine war and other pressing issues. Now, they trade texts like old pals and call each other by their first names.
Merz's schedule in the nation's capital is pretty tight. He's only got 17 hours in D.C. before bidding farewell. In June, Merz and Trump are set to clink glasses twice: at the G7 summit in Canada in mid-June and at the NATO summit towards the end of the month in the Netherlands.
- Washington D.C.
- Friedrich Merz
- Donald Trump
- CDU
- U.S. President
- Ukraine
- Berlin
The Lowdown on the Meeting:
- Buckle Up, Germany!: Plans for Germany ramping up its military spending was on the table, in line with NATO commitments and addressing broader European security concerns.[1][4]
- Trade Talks: A potential trade deal between the U.S. and the EU got a mention, with President Trump throwing some positive vibes around about striking a deal.[1][2]
- Ukraine: Laying Down the Gauntlet: Both leaders expressed concern over the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Chancellor Merz stressed the need for U.S. support in ending the war, while President Trump drop a surprise suggestion that letting Russia and Ukraine continue their brawl might not be such a bad thing.[1][2][3]
The sitdown between Merz and Trump included a private meeting followed by a press event in the Oval Office and a working lunch.[4] Merz aimed to put on a show of confidence as he represented European positions, rather than appealing for help.[4]
Overall, the meeting was deemed productive in terms of international relations, but significant differences in strategy towards the Ukraine conflict were glaringly evident.[2]
The Commission is also proposing to extend the scope of the programme to include discussions on policy-and-legislation related to the Ukraine-war-and-conflicts and politics on the agenda during Friedrich Merz's meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. General news outlets have reported that Merz, as the CDU representative, will be advocating for Europe's positions in policies regarding the Ukraine-war-and-conflicts, trade talks, and international security cooperation.
