Access visit to Washington: WadePhul demands the end of the shoulder with the USA against Putin

In view of persistent Russian attacks on Ukraine, Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul calls a close to the USA in dealing with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. “In order for Putin to finally get to the negotiating table so that Russia finally gets into serious negotiations, we have to maintain the pressure,” said the CDU politician about his today’s inaugural visit to the United States. “We Europeans will continue to attract the sanction screws, and the US congress is also ready for more sanctions.”

In the capital Washington, WadePhul wants to advise his US colleague Marco Rubio about a joint procedure for current international crises.

It is probably the most trickiest journey of the new German Foreign Minister so far. The United States is the most important partner in Germany outside the EU. But the transatlantic relationship is not tension -free. And US President Donald Trump and his government team are considered unpredictable. The WadePhuls trip also serves as a preparation for a visit to the USA of Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). Merz announced that they will soon be able to travel to Washington and to meet Trump.

Visit to Rubios birthday

Rubio, who celebrates his 54th birthday today, invited WadePhul to Washington. For the first time after taking office, the two had personally exchanged information at an informal meeting by the NATO foreign minister in the Turkish city of Antalya.

The most important topics of today’s meeting:

Support for Ukraine – search for peace solution

Wadephul urges how important a transatlantic shoulder is to be closed for freedom in Europe in Europe. Putin continues his attacks with undiminished brutality despite intensive peace diplomacy, which is also being followed by the United States. When he talks in Washington, it will therefore be about common goals: “We want to finally end dying in Ukraine, we want an immediate ceasefire, and we want a sustainable peace.”

The struggle for a ceasefire for Ukraine has so far not progressed despite all the expressions of intent. In Kiev, Merz and the heads of state and government of France, Great Britain and Poland Kremlin chief Putin ultimately demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire on May 10th and threatened to extend financial and energy and an expansion of arms deliveries to Ukraine. But Trump did not pull along as hoped, Putin has only let Ukraine attack even more.

NATO financing – Is the USA 3.5 plus 1.5?

The NATO goal for defense expenditure currently provides for annual expenditure of at least two percent of the economic output (GDP). Trump demands that the European NATO members and Canada pay much more. At its summit in almost four weeks in the Haag, NATO should decide according to his will that its members will issue five percent of GDP for defense in the future.

WadePhul once again stood behind the proposal of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to increase defense expenditure to 3.5 percent of GDP and to spend another 1.5 percent for military infrastructure. Rubio should now want to find out whether US President Donald Trump can also live with the Rutte advance. Rubio himself had already made his consent clear.

Problem cooker Middle East – Location in the Gaza Strip

In view of the people’s suffering, WadePhul wants to explore with the US partners in the Gaza Strip how a two-state solution could be realized as a best chance for permanent peace in the region. “We urgently need a breakthrough in the negotiations on an armistice that leads to the release of hostages and a massive expansion of humanitarian aid,” says the Foreign Minister. He and Merz recently criticized the military approach of Israel.

According to a foundation supported by Israel and the USA, after a blockade of several months by Israel, the first relief supplies have distributed the first relief supplies to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip – but there are problems and still great hardship. Trump had stated in February that the United States could take over the large -scale coastal area, rebuild and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East”. The approximately two million residents of the densely populated Gaza strip would have to be relocated.

Against customs walls and trade wars

In view of Trump’s threats with punitive tariffs from 50 percent to imports from Europe, WadePhul addressed an appeal to the US government: “In a globally networked world, we do not want to build new customs walls, but build stable bridges out of partnership and trust.” At the same time, he announced: “We will continue to confidently represent our interests in the world – like our partners in the USA.” Trump surprisingly threatened the EU on Friday with penalty tariffs from 50 percent on imports from Europe from June 1 – and postponed the execution shortly afterwards by a good month.