Merz sought to find common ground with Trump on several key issues, including the Russia–Ukraine war, trade tensions, and NATO defense spending.
WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on June 5 to discuss a wide range of pressing issues, including the war in Ukraine.
Merz expressed confidence in Trump’s ability to help resolve the ongoing conflict and urged the U.S. president to toughen his stance on the Kremlin.
“We all are looking for measures and for instruments to bring this terrible war to an end,” Merz told Trump during their meeting in the Oval Office.
Referencing the upcoming D-Day anniversary on June 6, Merz praised the United States’ historical role in ending the war in Europe and liberating his country from Nazi dictatorship.
“We know what we owe you,” he said, noting that the United States is again “in a very strong position” to help end the current conflict in Europe.
“Let’s talk about what we can do jointly,” he said.
Merz said the European Union (EU) has backed Ukraine and applied pressure to Moscow, noting that it is now “looking for more pressure on Russia.”
Trump warned that if Russia and Ukraine do not reach a peace deal, he will take a “very tough” approach.
“And it could be on both countries, to be honest,” he said.
He also suggested that Russia and Ukraine may not be quite ready for peace.
“You see two young children fighting like crazy,“ Trump said. ”They hate each other, and they’re fighting in a park, and you try [to] pull them apart. They don’t want to be pulled sometimes; you’re better off letting them fight for a while.”
For months, Trump has been pressing both Russia and Ukraine to end the fighting and negotiate a permanent peace.
On June 4, Trump said he had a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”
Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack targeting Russian bases over the weekend. The White House said Trump had not been informed about the attack in advance.
On June 2, German spokesperson Stefan Kornelius told reporters that Merz would “do everything” during his White House meeting to urge Trump to support a fair cease-fire and further sanctions on Russia.
By Emel Akan
