German foreign minister on first official visit to Washington
US Secretary od State Marco Rubio welcomed his German counterpart, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, to Washington on Wednesday on Wadephul's first official visit to the United States.
Wadephul's trip comes ahead of a planned visit by Chancellor Friedrich Merz for talks with President Donald Trump for which no date has yet been set. Merz and Wadephul took office an May 6 following elections in February.
Ahead of the visit, Wadephul indicated he would seek trans-Atlantic cooperation in dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin and in confronting continuing attacks on Ukraine.
"We must maintain the pressure, so that Putin at last comes to the negotiating table, so that Russia at last enters into serious negotiations," he said.
Later on Wednesday, Wadephul was to place two roses at Washington's Jewish Museum in memory of two Jewish victims from an attack in Washington on May 21. They were shot on leaving the Israeli embassy in an apparently anti-Semitic attack.
Wadephul was also to hold talks with Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Albert Ramdin.
Set up in 1948, the Washington-based OAS works for peace and stability in the region, along with promoting democracy and freedom of the press.
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