Merkel follows in Trump's footsteps: the race around Europe!

Merkel follows in Trump's footsteps: the race around Europe!

Washington, USA - On June 6, 2025, Chancellor Merz met in the Oval Office with the former US President Donald Trump. The visit took place against the background of current geopolitical tensions and is considered crucial for the future relationship between Europe and the USA. Merz took the opportunity to ask Trump to increase the pressure on Russia so that the war can be ended in Ukraine. Experts see the relationship with Trump as unpredictable and chaotic, which leads to political and economic uncertainties on both sides of the Atlantic. In this context, Europe is increasingly presented as a stable opposite pole to the United States, where reliability and predictability are considered important.

The geopolitical situation has already been analyzed by historians such as Timothy Garton Ash, who describes world politics as a situation characterized by great power competition. In this context, Russia under Putin is perceived as a predictable enemy and the USA under Trump as an unpredictable partner. The world lives in a "post-western world", which significantly increases the challenges for Europe. Merz ’Visit aims to win the time and reduce the dependency of Europe from the United States while trying to make the economic relationship with Trump at eye level.

political and economic challenges

The last term of term of Trump led to a "Trump shock" that shook the understanding of the West, which had existed for around 80 years. While the Ukraine War continues to rage, Ash emphasizes the need that Europe can defend itself, even without the United States. He identifies three central challenges: firstly, to ensure that Ukraine does not "lose the war in a painful way"; Second, strengthening the ability to defend it; and thirdly to counteract the nationalist-populist update within Europe.

Germany is considered centrally in this debate. With reforms of the debt brake, Germany has taken decisive steps towards increased defense spending. Merz 'encounter with Trump is not only a diplomatic gesture, but could also serve as a signal that Europe is willing to go their own way and to promote the necessary political will formation.

a complex geopolitical environment

In addition, the influence of other major powers such as China, India and Turkey is discussed with regard to Russia. These countries continue to maintain relationships with Russia, which makes the international isolation of Moscow difficult. In addition, historical contextualization raises important questions about the future of security architecture in Europe. The disintegration of the Soviet empire and the challenges of a post-Soviet world require a reorganization of foreign policy, while the national and regional security entitlement remains.

The perspective for peace in Ukraine remains extremely questionable according to Ash, since the conditions for a fair peace cannot be met. Europe must remain capable of acting and provide resources in order to adequately meet the Ukraine conflict and the changing geopolitical structures. It is clear that Merz is faced with a big task to stabilize the transatlantic relationship in an increasingly chaotic world.

summarized, the long -term answer to Merz's success is not in Washington, but will mainly depend on political developments in Europe. The key to a stable and effective reaction to the challenges of the 21st century could be to sharpen the European leadership qualities and to find a clearer line in dealing with the USA and Russia.