Hello Remco, Biden will no longer be president in just three weeks, but he is still making his visit to Germany a priority. How much do the two countries love?
“Biden’s visit shows how important Germany is to the transatlantic alliance. He said it literally on Friday afternoon, at the end of his speech: “I don’t know how we will maintain stability in Europe and the rest of the world without strong ties between Germany and America.”
“Germany is Ukraine’s second biggest supporter after the United States. Biden also thanked Chancellor Scholz for his efforts in prisoner exchanges, including the release from Germany of a Russian citizen sentenced to life in prison. The Middle East and Iran also participated in this program. This visit truly shows friends and foes alike that the ties between the two countries are very important.’
Why is German-American cooperation so important?
“Germany has always been able to stand under the auspices of America. When it comes to supporting other countries, Germany has always gone hand in hand with America. Given history, Germany is reluctant to be the first country to supply weapons or tanks to Ukraine, for example, so they often follow America’s example.
‘Therefore, Germany is tense ahead of the upcoming elections in the US. Heads of government will also meet here to discuss what their next steps should be if Trump wins again. He is less interested in European cooperation or support for Ukraine. This would pose a number of very difficult problems for Germany.
‘There is a statement by a senior German diplomat that has always stuck with me: ‘Germany’s problem is that it is too small for the world and too big for Europe.’ Germany does not want to be a leader on the world stage, but without American support, Germany will have to make a decision.’
The Middle East is also discussed. Olaf Scholz said this week that he would continue supplying weapons to Israel, while other European countries appear increasingly reluctant. Can Biden fight the divide?
“It is difficult to say to what extent Biden can contribute to unity in Europe. It is clear that if Europe is to play a greater role in the Middle East, it would be helpful if people at least want the same in Europe. This is not happening at the moment.
‘Therefore, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer were also present there. Of course with regard to Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, they will try to get at least those three European leaders on the same page.’
Biden had not taken action when protests occurred in Berlin, you said. You’ve been there, what’s it like?
The essence of the protest is: Joe Biden is not welcome. This is related to dissatisfaction with current Israeli policies. The demonstration was organized by the pro-Palestinian movement, so Palestinian flags were flying everywhere, and Lebanese flags here and there.
‘There are protests here almost every day, and the situation is always very tense. The police acted very quickly, there were dozens of anti-riot cars. It is true that protests often turn violent, but there is much concern about how Germany appears to be doing everything it can to stifle pro-Palestinian voices. Such an approach will only cause more anger.
In a joint statement following Biden’s working visit, Scholz said he was working to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages and a political solution to the conflict in the Middle East. At the same time, he once again emphasized support for Israel, which he believes acted in self-defense. He thanked Biden for his efforts in the conflict.
“Germany’s history has made support for Israel a sensitive issue. I spoke to several people who were not involved in the protests. A woman who works for the government said she did not agree with Germany’s relations with Israel. “We have committed terrible crimes in the past, but now we are making ourselves hostages to history.” Another passerby said: “We are in a very good position to warn Israel about the mistakes we made in the past.”
