Not on the surface, not in the heart

(Baonghean)- Long-awaited, last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to the US gave the public more time to discuss due to being postponed by a snowstorm in the US. As expected, the expressions and statements of the leaders of both sides show that the US-Germany "confidential relationship" will still face many difficulties under the administration of President Donald Trump.

Confused and distant

In her statement at a joint press conference after meeting with US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel commented that: “It is good that the two sides talk directly to each other instead of talking about each other through the media.” Both leaders also described to reporters that their first meeting went quite well.

Officials from both sides had previously hoped that this meeting between the two leaders would be a positive step forward to warm up the US-Germany relationship, which had been cold in recent times. However, what the public witnessed during this visit showed that things seemed to be more difficult than expected.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on March 17. Source: AFP, Getty

Mr. Trump’s awkward, awkward attitude, even avoiding a diplomatic handshake with Ms. Merkel during the Oval Office press conference, showed that the distance could not be healed. If we look back at the meetings between Chancellor Merkel and the two previous US Presidents, former Presidents Barack Obama and George Bush, we can easily see the bond and intimacy that goes beyond diplomatic relations.

It stems from the long-standing shared strategic interests and perspectives between the US and Europe, as well as the personal similarities between the leaders. However, things turned out differently during the meeting with President Donald Trump last week.

Too different

The international press has commented throughout the past week that it is difficult to find two politicians with such big differences in political experience, world views, style and temperament as Mr. Trump and Ms. Merkel. Not only that, public opinion has not forgotten the rift that President Trump created when he repeatedly criticized Chancellor Merkel.

Looking back to October 2015, when Mrs. Merkel decided to allow more than 1 million refugees into Germany, Mr. Trump commented: “What she did is crazy,” and also predicted riots in Germany. Two months later, when Time magazine voted Mrs. Merkel as person of the year, Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter: “They picked a person who is destroying Germany.” Or in March 2016, when talking about the New Year's Eve attack in Cologne, Mr. Trump once again criticized Mrs. Merkel and predicted unrest in Germany…

The two US and German leaders held talks at the White House. Source: AFP, Getty

During the recent visit, as observers feared, the two US and German leaders once again expressed very different views on a series of issues such as immigration and free trade. While Ms. Merkel still defended her stance against protectionism that is on the rise in Europe and globally, Mr. Trump still believes that the US is the country that suffers in free trade agreements. Regarding the issue of immigration, both continued to publicly criticize each other's policies. That is Ms. Merkel's decision to open the door to refugees and Mr. Trump's recent immigration ban.

Modest results

Looking at the recent US-Germany summit, the results achieved can be said to be too modest. Chancellor Merkel herself was very confused at one point during the visit when President Trump said that the two had a rare thing in common: both had their phones tapped by the previous administration in the US.

However, the two leaders also found common ground regarding NATO. Specifically, President Trump asked Chancellor Merkel to meet NATO's military spending target. In response, Merkel pledged to increase military spending to 2%. However, Trump did not forget to criticize NATO as "obsolete" and that the US and its allies in the military alliance had to contribute large sums of money over the years.

But from Germany's perspective, observers believe that the results of this visit are not too important to Chancellor Merkel. Because Ms. Merkel is expected to continue to promote good foreign policy with the US, regardless of who is in charge and what the differences are.

Simply put, Germany, like Europe, still needs the US on almost every issue. Therefore, the goal of contacting the new US President and restarting relations with Washington has been a success for Ms. Merkel. Meanwhile, on the US side, President Donald Trump is said to be still shaping a foreign policy that suits all countries and does not go against his campaign commitments. Of course, long-term national interests will be the factor that brings the two leaders closer together. And it is only a matter of time!

Khang Duy