Executive Branch

German Chancellor Merz Urges Trump to Increase Pressure on Russia in White House Meeting

Merz sought to find common ground with Trump on several key issues, including the Russia–Ukraine war, trade tensions, and NATO defense spending.
German Chancellor Merz Urges Trump to Increase Pressure on Russia in White House Meeting
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (L) shake hands during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office on June 5, 2025. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Emel Akan
Emel Akan
Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on June 5 to discuss a wide range of pressing issues, including the war in Ukraine.

Merz expressed confidence in Trump’s ability to help resolve the ongoing conflict and urged the U.S. president to toughen his stance on the Kremlin.

Emel Akan
Emel Akan
Reporter
Emel Akan is a senior White House correspondent for The Epoch Times, where she covers the policies of the Trump administration. Previously, she reported on the Biden administration and the first term of President Trump. Before her journalism career, she worked in investment banking at JPMorgan. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University.
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