Prime-time Meeting: Merz Meets Trump in D.C. - Hash Tag: "Allies United"
Headed to Washington - Encounter with Trump - Trump welcomes Merz in Washington for a meeting
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is bound for WashNGton. On Thursday evening (5:30 PM ET), he'll sit down with the Oval Office's current tenant, Donald Trump, in their first official face-to-face since Merz assumed the chancellorship four weeks ago. The agenda includes a joint lunch, a press conference in Trump's office, and a casual catch-up in the Oval Office (around 6:45 PM ET). Remember when controversies flared during the visits of Zelensky and Ramaphosa? Well, hopefully, that's ancient history now.
This powwow promises to tackle urgent matters like quelling the Ukraine conflict, NATO's response to escalating threats, and squabbles between the US and EU on trade. Make no mistake; Merz isn't jetting off to Washington as a doormat and is ready to represent Europe's stances strong and proud.
Merz and Trump have a not-so-distant memory from years past - a brief encounter in New York. Since Merz took office, they've yakked on the blower several times, both one-on-one and in groups with other European leaders about the Ukraine crisis. Nowadays, they shoot the breeze via SMS, using first names like BFFs.
Merz plans to whirl around Washington for approximately 17 hours. In June, the dynamic duo will rendezvous twice more: at the G7 jamboree in Canada in mid-June and the NATO summit at the end of the month in the Netherlands.
- WASHington
- Friedrich Merz (CDU)
- Donald Trump
- CDU
- US President
- Ukraine
- Capital
- Volodymyr Zelensky
What's Really on the Table? (Secret Menu for Insiders)
- Ukraine Conflict:
- Merz urged Trump to lean on Russia to put a halt to the Ukraine conflict.
- Trump, in an unconventional move, suggested letting Russia and Ukraine continue fighting like feuding children.
- US-EU Relations and Trade:
- Trump hinted at a promising future for a trade agreement with the EU.
- Merz, focusing on equal collaboration, made it clear he wasn't seeking handouts.
- Military Presence and NATO (Implicitly):
- Trump revealed he has no intentions of withdrawing troops from Germany.
- Merz's discussions touched on increased military spending, aligning with broader NATO defense objectives.
The Commission is also proposing to extend the scope of the programme to include discussions on the Ukraine conflict, US-EU relations and trade, and military presence and NATO engagement, which are topics likely to be addressed during Friedrich Merz's (CDU) meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington. This meeting promises to delve into policy and legislation affecting general news, particularly war and conflicts, politics, and international relations.
