Merz and Trump set for pivotal talks on NATO and trade ties
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday. This will be the first meeting since Merz took office as chancellor on May 6, as announced by German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit the United States and is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday. The meeting will take place at the White House, with a joint lunch and a press conference also planned.
Topics of discussion between Merz and Trump
According to the dpa agency, the discussions between the leaders will cover topics such as the peace process aimed at ending the war in Ukraine and cooperation within NATO. Another important topic will be the tariffs imposed by the United States on the European Union.
The dpa agency points out that the question remains whether Merz and Trump will find common ground. Earlier, during Trump’s second term, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, visited Washington, and according to experts, they managed to establish a good rapport with the U.S. president.
Preparations for the visit
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul had previously visited the United States to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio. The purpose of that visit was to lay the groundwork for Chancellor Merz's meeting with President Trump.
