BERLIN — United States Vice President JD Vance will meet with Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference later this week, according to members of Merz’s conservative alliance.
Vance and Merz are, among other things, expected to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine and trade matters in what will be the first high-level meeting between a member of U.S. President Donald Trump’s second administration and the German conservatives — who are in pole position to lead the country’s next government in the wake of the Feb. 23 parliamentary election.
Merz previously pledged to take a leading role in uniting the continent in its response to Trump.
Referring to a peace plan for Ukraine, Merz said in a televised debate on Sunday: “We have to wait and see what the American government is planning. Apparently, it wants to present proposals at the Munich Security Conference next weekend … I’m very curious.”
Trade is expected to be another key focus.
Trump enacted new 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imported into the U.S. earlier this week, a move that will significantly impact Germany’s export-oriented businesses and significantly escalate the trade war between Brussels and Washington.
Merz will also meet with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
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