FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivers a speech at the German Association of Towns and Municipalities event in Berlin, Germany, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo
BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will hold his first face-to-face talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday in a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office as Europe seeks to stave off looming U.S. tariffs and sustain U.S. backing for Ukraine.
The 69-year-old conservative, who took the helm of Europe's largest economy last month, is scheduled to join Trump for lunch and one-on-one talks that analysts say could set the tone for U.S.-German ties for years to come.
