By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz voiced support for the United States-Israeli war on Iran but said he hopes it ends soon as the attack is hurting the global economy.
Merz was speaking to the reporters ahead of a bilateral meeting with president Donald Trump at the Oval Office on Tuesday.
“This is, of course, damaging our economies,” Merz said.
“This is true for the oil prices and this is true for the gas prices as well. So that’s the reason why we all hope that this war will come to an end as soon as possible.”
The two leaders have deep disagreements that could shadow their meeting, such as trade and the conflict in Ukraine. Trump’s decision to strike Iran has also emerged as an irritant. War and peace may dominate the broader agenda for the German and US leaders.
Trump said, the two leaders would speak about the war, adding the German leader has “been helping out.” Trump said trade deals would also be on the agenda.
He said Germany was letting U.S. forces land in “certain areas,” but that the U.S. was not asking Germany to provide troops.
“They’re letting us land in certain areas, and we appreciate it, and they’re just making it comfortable,” Trump said. “We’re not asking them to put boots on the ground.”
Trump described the war as successful thus far against many Iranian naval and air targets. “Just about everything has been knocked out,” he said.
Iran has responded to the attack by firing missiles and drones at neighbouring Arab states and strangling shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for energy trade.
But Trump predicted Tehran will eventually lose its capability to continue lobbing missiles due to a sustained assault against them.
Merz left Berlin for Washington as Germany and France announced plans to deepen cooperation on nuclear deterrence, another move by the European neighbors to adapt to changes in the transatlantic relationship amid ongoing threats from Russia and feared instability linked to the Iran conflict.
Meanwhile Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have displaced more than 58,000 people, according to the Lebanese government’s disaster and management unit, double the amount it reported yesterday.
Strikes throughout the country have killed more than 50 people. Israel says the attacks are a response to Hezbollah rockets and drones fired into Israel to protest the US-Israeli killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader.