Trump urges Merz to focus more on peace in Ukraine rather than Iran
¬ Merz takes a tougher stance on Iran after Trump suggests possible reduction of U.S. troops in Germany
¬ EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy: Iran conflict delays U.S. arms deliveries to Nordic and Baltic states
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U.S. President Trump advised German Chancellor Merz to shift focus from Iran and dedicate more effort toward resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The American leader believes Merz has made no progress on this issue so far.
On April 30, Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social: "The German Chancellor should spend more time ending the war between Russia and Ukraine (something he has achieved nothing on so far!), and fixing Germany’s crumbling domestic situation, instead of interfering with those working to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat."
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz adopted a harder line on Iran following U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about potentially reducing U.S. military presence in Germany, while reaffirming his commitment to the transatlantic partnership.
On Monday, during a meeting with middle school students in Marsberg (a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany), Merz warned that the United States risks becoming deeply entrenched in Middle Eastern conflicts. He noted that Iran has proven more effective in negotiations compared to the U.S. Trump then strongly criticized Merz’s position on Iran, stating that Merz clearly does not know what he is talking about. Additionally, Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. is considering cutting its military forces stationed in Germany.
During a visit to the German Army Center in Lower Saxony, Merz emphasized: "Iran must come to the negotiating table, stop stalling, and no longer hold the region and the world hostage. He explicitly stated that Iran’s military nuclear program must cease, and it must stop launching attacks against Israel and America’s partners in the region." Merz added that Germany maintains close and trusted cooperation with partner nations, including Washington, on these issues.
Merz stressed that Germany is willing to make a military contribution to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, provided necessary conditions are met. Furthermore, he expressed support for increasing pressure on Tehran ahead of last week’s European Council meeting held in Cyprus.
On April 29, Trump stated his intention to continue imposing a maritime blockade on Iran until Tehran fully abandons its nuclear program, emphasizing that such pressure has proven significantly more effective than military strikes.
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EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Kallas, said in a press briefing that the ongoing conflict with Iran is causing delays in U.S. arms deliveries to Nordic and Baltic countries.
Kallas stated: "The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz is not expected to be resolved soon, and its negative consequences are spreading across multiple sectors. The global economy is experiencing turbulence. Russia is benefiting from rising oil prices, while U.S. arms deliveries to Nordic and Baltic states are facing delays."
Source: sputniknews
Original: toutiao.com/article/1863908317777932/
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