Germany's top diplomat heads to US for talks on Ukraine, Nato, trade
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul (AP)
Berlin: Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul heads to the United States for talks Wednesday on the Ukraine and Mideast conflicts, Nato ties and rocky trade relations on his first Washington visit in the post.
After months of transatlantic tensions since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House, Wadephul stressed that decades-old bilateral ties had helped post-war Germany achieve "freedom and prosperity".
"We Germans owe almost no other country as much as the United States," he said in a statement before his departure for talks with US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
The new top diplomat under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his talks would focus on the Ukraine war and "our common goals: We want to finally end the deaths in Ukraine, we want an immediate ceasefire and we want a lasting peace."
"In order for Putin to finally come to the negotiating table, for Russia to finally enter into serious negotiations, we must maintain the pressure," he added, pointing to European efforts to tighten sanctions.
Wadephul also said that "Putin's Russia is the greatest threat to Euro-Atlantic security for the foreseeable future" and that "we in Europe are assuming greater responsibility for our own security".
He reiterated that Germany supports a proposal by the Nato secretary general to increase investment in defence and relevant infrastructure to five percent of GDP, referring to a plan to gradually raise military spending to 3.5 percent and security related spending to 1.5 percent of output.
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On the Middle East conflict, he said "Germany stands by Israel's security and existence" but also recognises "the unbearable suffering of the people in Gaza".
"We urgently need a breakthrough in the negotiations on a ceasefire that leads to the release of the hostages and a massive expansion of humanitarian aid."
Germany's new foreign minister, in the post for three weeks, also touched on Trump's tariff blitz against other countries and the European Union.
"In a globally connected world, we don't want to erect new tariff barriers, but rather build stable bridges of partnership and trust," Wadephul said.
"We support the European Commission in finding a balanced negotiated solution together with the USA to reduce unnecessary trade barriers between our countries and promote fair trade.
"Only in this way will we succeed in preserving prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and strengthening our economic security. We like our partners in the USA will continue to confidently represent our interests around the world."
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