German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to travel to Washington next Wednesday (June 4) and meet with Trump on Thursday. This will be Merz's first meeting with Trump since taking office, with the agenda including discussions at the White House, a luncheon, and a joint press conference.

Since becoming Chancellor on May 6, Merz's meeting with Trump has attracted significant attention as they had a brief encounter years ago in New York. Merz plans to depart for Washington after dining with the governors of the German federal states on Wednesday night. Trump is expected to arrange for Merz to stay at Blair House, adjacent to the White House, which symbolizes a significant gesture from the U.S.

One focus of the discussions will be easing the tariff disputes between the U.S. and Europe. Although this topic is primarily handled by the European Commission in negotiations with the U.S., as the Chancellor of Europe's strongest economy, Merz is expected to foster goodwill and encourage dialogue. Another core issue will be how to promote an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Merz actively advocates bolstering diplomatic efforts within the European Union and has expressed frustration over the slow progress recently.

During his visit, Merz aims to push Trump to strengthen his policies toward Russia and encourage Putin towards a ceasefire. The European Union is poised to consider a new round of sanctions against Russia, fully aware that aligning with the U.S. is crucial for effective pressure on the Kremlin. Trump recently emphasized that the next two weeks will be critical in observing whether Putin is “playing us.” He added that he has not yet implemented new sanctions against Russia because “if I think a deal is close, I don’t want to jeopardize it.” To showcase a cooperative stance with the U.S., Merz has been signaling goodwill in various areas. However, he has expressed dissatisfaction regarding comments made by U.S. Vice President Howell, who previously accused European allies of “threatening democracy” at the Munich Security Conference. Merz refuted that such statements had “crossed the line,” asserting that this is a matter of German sovereignty, making it clear that “it is up to us to decide, and no U.S. government has the right to interfere.” Since Trump's return to the White House in January, several leaders have visited the U.S., including French President Macron, British Prime Minister Starmer, and Italian Prime Minister Meloni. However, the most notable visits were by Ukrainian President Zelensky and South African President Ramaphosa, whose uncomfortable encounters with Trump in the Oval Office have served as cautionary tales for future visitors: over-caution is essential when dealing with Trump.