Friedrich Merz calls Donald Trump – these were the topics

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) invited Donald Trump to Germany on his first phone call with the US President. Trump signaled that he could imagine such a visit, it was said after the approximately 30-minute conversation from German government circles. As president, Trump-apart from stopover at the US base in Ramstein-was previously only for the G20 summit in 2017 in Germany.

Merz also dealt with the German roots of the US president and mentioned that he knew the home town of Trump’s ancestors: Kallstadt on the Weinstrasse in Rhineland-Palatinate. The grandparents of Trump emigrated to New York from there at the end of the 19th century.

The 30-minute conversation took place on Thursday evening two days after the election and swearing-in of the Chancellor in the Bundestag. Trump congratulated him on this, it was then said from the German side. Merz and Trump practically didn’t know each other before the conversation. Many years ago they only met in New York.

In his part, Trump invited Merz to Washington. The Chancellor has already publicly explained that he would like to travel to the USA in front of the G7 and NATO summit, i.e. within the next six weeks. The G7 summit takes place in Canada in mid-June, the NATO summit shortly afterwards in the Hague.

Ukraine received most of the phone call. Merz and Trump had agreed close cooperation with the aim of completing the Russian war of aggression, said government spokesman Stefan Kornelius. The Chancellor shared the president’s claim that killing in Ukraine had to come to a quick end. Russia now has to agree to a ceasefire in order to create space for negotiations. Trump said that he wanted to support European peace efforts.

As for a possible peace solution, there is considerable differences between the USA and the European allies. While Trump urges Ukraine to concessions to Russia, countries such as Germany, France and Great Britain warn of a dictation peace.

The second topic of the conversation was the trade conflict between the USA and the EU. Trump and Merz agreed to want to quickly resolve the disputes between the USA and the EU, it said from the German side. However, one solution is not in sight at the moment. It was only on Thursday that the EU Commission announced that it would prepare other special tariffs for US exports worth up to 95 billion euros in the event that negotiations with Washington do not lead to a solution.

The month of July is currently the period for a solution. A 90-day period is running in it that Trump has set for the EU’s offers. If these are not enough for him, he wants to raise extensive new special tariffs on imports from the EU. They would be added to the special tariffs that are already applicable.

Note: This article has been updated several times.