On 3 March 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Washington. The talks took place in the Oval Office at the White House. Trump said Germany was “helping”, including by enabling U.S. forces access to selected bases and facilities. He said the United States was not asking Germany to send troops and did not expect “boots on the ground” from Berlin.
Trump called Merz an “excellent leader” and said he had a good relationship with him. He said securing an agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine remained very high on his list of priorities. Trump also said the United States had enough ammunition for operations against Iran and for sales to Europe to support Ukraine.
Merz said the two countries agreed on the need to remove Iran’s current leadership and said they would discuss the “day after” in Tehran. The chancellor said after the meeting that he urged Trump to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin and stressed that any durable agreement on Ukraine would require Europe’s backing.