Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) has decided after several Conversations in Washington, DC expressed confidence about transatlantic relations. Of course there is dissent, “of course we have discussions about questions of international law,” said the CDU politician at the end of his visit to the USA. But there are many more points on which Germany and Europe “have a great consensus with the United States of America.”
In addition to representatives of the Democrats, Wadephul also met several Republican politicians for talks. “There were some tough arguments that had to be exchanged, but there was a lot of understanding and a lot of common sense,” said the minister. None of the people I spoke to had allegations of limited freedom of expression Europe or Germany or migration policy.
“The vast majority are of the opinion that we should concentrate on our core issues with each other,” said Wadephul. This includes defense in NATO. He added that Germany and Europe did not allow themselves to be dictated by others “as to how we organize our legal framework, how we organize freedom of expression, that is a given.” This was met with a lot of understanding.
Wadephul argues for further work on the transatlantic relationship
According to information from the Foreign Office, Wadephul exchanged ideas with his US colleague Marco Rubio for around an hour and a half on Monday. On Tuesday he met, among others, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at the German ambassador’s residence. Later, Wadephul met with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Republicans Brian Mast, Roger Wicker and Jim Risch, and Democratic politicians Gregory Meeks and Jeanne Shaheen.
Wadephul said he could “only encourage everyone in Germany and Europe to continue working on this relationship here.” It’s like in all relationships. “You have to work on them, you have to commit to this relationship“, the CDU politician continued. “And if you do it, then you also have a good chance that they will remain stable and that they will have a good future.”
