Merz to gather European leaders to craft plan for improving ties with U.S.

Bloomberg said Merz also plans to invite NATO Secretary

The initiative is intended to help improve relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, the people told Bloomberg. Trump has threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO and has criticized European leaders for not supporting the U.S.–Israeli operation against Iran.

Relations between Trump and Merz deteriorated after Merz said Iran was not engaging in genuine negotiations and was instead humiliating the United States. Trump responded with sharply worded remarks about Merz and said the United States would pull more than 5,000 troops out of Germany.

“E5 defense ministers are planning a separate meeting in Paris June 12 to agree on a joint position for the July 7-8 NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara and discuss command structures in case of a wider conflict in Europe, another person said,” the report said.

Merz has said he wants to do everything possible to preserve U.S. protection for Europe as part of NATO. “This alliance is, at least for the time being, irreplaceable,” he told reporters in April.