German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends a joint news conference with Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stressed the importance of relations with the United States, but also the strength and values of Europe now that Donald Trump is about to take office again as president of the United States.
“Transatlantic relations are of utmost importance for Germany and for Europe,” Scholz told German newspaper Rheinische Post on Tuesday. “And NATO is the guarantor of our security. That is why we need stable relations with the United States.”
At the same time, he noted that “as the European Union, we can also harness our own strength. “As a community of more than 400 million Europeans, we have economic weight.”
He said he had already spoken to Trump by phone twice without elaborating on when the calls were made.
“They were very friendly and good conversations. Our advisors have also met several times,” he stated. “Therefore, with the new administration we are not starting from scratch.”
