Merkel will meet Trump before and after the G7 Summit in Canada.
According to reports by the Munich "Merkur", German Chancellor Merkel will have the opportunity to meet with Trump in June. The leader of the CDU will meet with the US President three times within a few days: at the G7 Summit in Canada from June 15th to 17th, at the NATO Summit in The Hague on June 24th and 25th, and during his inaugural visit to Washington.
The date for the last visit has not been determined, but Merkel plans to visit Trump before the summer vacation. A few weeks ago, he emphasized this point on Germany's Channel One. In other words, he plans to visit Trump before July.
According to the "Frankfurter Rundschau", Merkel is striving for an initial private meeting with Trump before the G7 Summit in Canada. This meeting should discuss key issues regarding transatlantic relations: the situation in Ukraine, relations with China, and transatlantic trade policy.
Merkel emphasized that Germany must discuss strategic guidelines with the United States. He stressed the importance of common interests and stated that there are more common interests than conflicts between Europe and America. Merkel particularly criticized Trump's unpredictable tariff policies, describing them as "one of the major unknown factors in our economy" on multiple occasions recently.
Just two days after being sworn in, Merkel had his first phone conversation with Trump. According to government sources cited by the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", it was described as a "very positive, relaxed, and polite phone call." The approximately 30-minute conversation mainly focused on the war in Ukraine and the trade conflict between the EU and the United States. Trump expressed his hope to support European peace efforts. Since then, their interactions have become increasingly closer.
At a recent economic summit held in Berlin, Merkel revealed that he had invited Trump to visit his grandfather's hometown, Karlstadt: "I invited him to Germany, to the hometown of his grandfather, Bad Dürkheim. I will go there with him." Whether Trump will accept this invitation remains to be seen – but in the Chancellery, Trump's German heritage is considered an opportunity to improve the atmosphere.
The "Frankfurter Rundschau" stated: There are many problems and little time between Chancellor Merkel and US President Trump. However, before Trump visits Karlstadt, Merkel is more likely to fly to the US capital. Merkel's inaugural visit to Washington may not just be a diplomatic ceremony. Given the escalation of the war in Ukraine, the intensification of trade issues, especially tariffs, and geopolitical shifts in power, transatlantic relations are under pressure. Whether Merkel can influence Trump will become clear during this visit.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833120542139467/
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