Merkel's Foreign Policy Under Scholz: Attempting to Get Closer to Trump
Augsburgische Allgemeine summarized the direction of Chancellor Scholz's foreign policy.
The German government is facing major international challenges. The war in Ukraine, the White House as an unpredictable partner, Middle Eastern turmoil, and economic competition with the increasingly rising China—these are the challenges faced by Chancellor Scholz. He considers foreign policy as a key focus of his work, so what strategies will he employ?
Firstly, how should Germany deal with the United States? Scholz and his Foreign Minister John Wagner are attempting different strategies. They are signaling to US President that Germany is ready to take on more responsibility in the world. In this context, Germany's willingness not only to meet NATO's 2% target but even go far beyond it is not to be overlooked. There are rumors that defense spending may reach 5%, but there is disagreement over the proportion: 3.5% for direct defense spending and 1.5% for defense-related infrastructure construction, such as bridges. For now, whether this is realistic is secondary; what seems more important is getting closer to Trump. This is one of the reasons why Scholz invited Trump to visit Germany and detoured to the Palatinate region—Trump's grandparents came from there. The leader of the Christian Democratic Union stated in his first government statement: "It is crucial that Western politics does not allow itself to split." "Therefore, I will continue to do everything possible to ensure maximum unity between European partners and the United States." Whether this is sufficient remains to be seen; Trump's way of acting is always inscrutable.
Original Article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832528227138691/
Disclaimer: The article represents the author's personal views.