Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) plans to try and convince US President Donald Trump to abandon tariffs in favor of increased free trade during a phone conversation on Thursday. “The experience we have had in Europe with open borders and free trade is that it ultimately benefits everyone” said Merz to the TV channel “Welt”.
Relations between economic nations are not a zero-sum game. If the conditions are good, all parties can benefit. “I want to try and explain to him that we would like to facilitate trade and not further complicate it” said Merz.
The Chancellor does not intend to pursue a new iteration of the failed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US. “TTIP was right at the time. It is a shame that it failed. We will not be able to recreate it as it was” said Merz.
The Chancellor plans to meet with Trump before the international summits this year to get to know him better. “I want us to meet before, to get to know each other personally and to find as many common ground as possible and use them together” he said.