Germany requests "more pressure on Russia"... Trump responds, "Let them be for now"

Trump highlights his German heritage

Merz requests support for Ukraine defense

Pressured withdrawal of US troops during his first term

"US troops will remain in Germany... Contributing to German economy"

On the 5th (local time), US President Donald Trump met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and conveyed the view that Russia and Ukraine should be left to fight for the time being. This statement has led some to analyze that President Trump, who had been committed to ending wars through diplomacy immediately after taking office, may be disheartened by tougher-than-expected negotiations and could already be experiencing fatigue.

According to foreign media such as The New York Times (NYT), Chancellor Merz presented President Trump with a gold frame at the White House on this day. Inside the frame was a copy of the birth certificate of Frederick Trump, President Trump's grandfather of German descent. Trump’s grandfather was reportedly born in Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1885. Chancellor Merz then mentioned June 6, 1944, the day the Allied forces launched the Normandy landings during World War II, describing it as “the day Germany was liberated from Nazi dictatorship.” He also said, “This is why I say America is strongly positioned to end this war (the Russia–Ukraine war),” adding, “We are devising additional pressure on Russia in order to stop the war in Ukraine.”

Chancellor Merz emphasized Trump’s German heritage to persuade the US to impose additional sanctions on Russia, but President Trump took a step back. In fact, he compared Russia and Ukraine to “children fighting madly even while people around them try to stop them,” saying, “Sometimes it's best to let kids fight for a while and then separate them.” According to NYT, “Trump essentially said there was nothing the US should do to end the Russia–Ukraine war.”

At this meeting, President Trump stated, “We will continue to keep US troops stationed in Germany,” adding, “They are contributing to Germany’s economy.” This marks a shift from his position during his first term, when he pressed for a withdrawal of US forces from Germany. Five years ago, President Trump said, “Germany is not paying its fair share of defense costs—until they pay enough, we will reduce our forces,” pledging to cut the number of US troops stationed in Germany to 25,000. However, during this meeting, President Trump said, “We are currently stationing as many as 45,000 troops,” adding, “They are well-paid and spend a lot of money in Germany, so it’s good for the German economy.” These remarks are interpreted as the view that Germany, as a key NATO country in Europe, should pay more for the stationing of US troops. Reuters reported that on this day, all 32 NATO countries agreed to the largest reinforcement plan since the Cold War, which included an initiative to expand ground-based air defense systems fivefold compared to current levels.

Earlier, the German government announced that the two leaders would discuss the Ukraine war, the situation in the Middle East, and trade policy. However, on this day, most of the journalists’ questions focused on US politics, such as Elon Musk-related controversies, leaving Chancellor Merz with few opportunities to speak.

At this summit, issues likely to cause disagreement between President Trump and Chancellor Merz—such as the German political establishment's ‘firewall’ rule blocking cooperation with the far-right AfD, automotive trade imbalances, and the German government’s push for a digital tax—were not included on the official agenda for discussion. According to Politico, President Trump described Chancellor Merz as “a very good person to deal with.”

Reporter Han Gyeong-jae hankyung@hankyung.com