ASSESSMENTS

Macron and Merkel Will Put on Their Best Poker Faces With Trump

Apr 23, 2018 | 09:00 GMT

German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron at a G-20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, in July 2017. The G-20 summit was one of the stormiest in years, with disagreements over wars, climate change and global trade.

(KAY NIETFELD/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

Germany is looking for a negotiated solution to trade and sanction disputes with the United States.
France is using Brexit and colder U.S.-German relations to try to become the main intermediary between the United States and the European Union.
Paris is also trying to use the current global environment to make progress on its long-sought goal of deeper European political and strategic autonomy.

The leaders of France and Germany are coming to Washington to make sales calls on America's top wheeler-dealer. French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on April 23 and 24. Three days later, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be stopping by the White House. Macron and Merkel are expected to discuss trade, Syria, Iran and Russia with Trump. As the leaders of the European Union's two largest countries, they are interested in improving U.S.-EU relations, but Macron and Merkel are not on the same page on several issues, which will make it difficult for them to present a united front. Furthermore, Macron sees an opening to position France as the main intermediary between the United States and the European Union, while Merkel is likely facing a cooler reception....

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