Germany's likely next Chancellor Friedrich Merz intends to meet US President Donald Trump at the earliest opportunity, his deputy Johann Wadeful said, quoted by DPA, quoted by BTA.
“Merz will meet Trump as soon as possible and we hope that by then he will have higher defense spending in his arsenal,“ Wadeful said in today's issue of the “Tagespiegel“ newspaper, referring to Trump's demand that European NATO allies spend a greater share of their GDP on armaments.
Merz's center-right alliance – The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) won the elections on February 23, making it the most likely successor to Olaf Scholz as chancellor. Next week, the CDU/CSU are due to begin talks with Scholz's Social Democrats to form a governing coalition, which Merz hopes will be in place before Easter.
The power vacuum in Berlin comes at a bad time for Europe, however, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's controversial visit to the White House on Friday causing confusion among European leaders.
Vadeful said Merz could help ease tensions, "although we know that all Europeans are having a hard time in Washington right now."
John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser, has previously said Merz should seek to establish contact with Trump before a governing coalition is formed in Berlin.
According to Bolton, Merz's background as a former finance major will be an advantage. "Blackrock" before returning to politics.