Germany’s chancellor visits Trump as Europe’s alliance with U.S. is fracturing

Geoff Bennett:

Another issue being discussed at the White House today, the war in Ukraine. During their meeting in the Oval Office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged President Trump to increase pressure on Russia. But Mr. Trump made no such commitments and instead compared Ukraine and Russia to two fighting children who need to work out their differences.

Nick Schifrin reports.

Nick Schifrin:

Today, in the Oval Office, an attempt to tie the U.S. to Europe by family.

Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor:

This is the birth certificate of Donald Trump's grandfather, born in 1869 close to Bad Duerkheim.

Nick Schifrin:

The U.S. support of Western Europe against the Nazis as a reason for the U.S. to side with Ukraine.

Friedrich Merz:

May I remind you that we are having June 6 tomorrow? This is D-Day anniversary, when the Americans once ended a war in Europe.

Donald Trump, President of the United States: That was not a pleasant day for you?

Friedrich Merz:

No, that was not a pleasant…

(Crosstalk)

Donald Trump:

This was not a…

Friedrich Merz:

This was the liberation of my country from Nazi dictatorship.

Donald Trump:

That's true.

Friedrich Merz:

America is again in a very strong position to do something on this war and ending this war. We are looking for more pressure on Russia.

Nick Schifrin:

But more than three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Trump today suggested the war should maybe continue.

Donald Trump:

Sometimes, you see two young children fighting like crazy. They hate each other and they're fighting in a park. And you try and pull them apart. They don't want to be pulled. Sometimes, you're better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart. There's some additional fighting that's going to go on.

Nick Schifrin:

President Trump also said he hadn't read a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal that would impose sanctions on Russia and its trading partners, and any future sanctions could be Imposed both on Russia and Ukraine.

Donald Trump:

When I see the moment where it's not going to stop, and I'm sure you're going to do the same thing, we will be very, very, very tough. And it could be on both countries, to be honest.

Nick Schifrin:

Merz became chancellor of a center-right coalition last month. He's promised to help Ukraine build its own weapons and increase Germany's defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product.

That's the same goal NATO defense ministers negotiated today in Brussels to spend 3.5 percent on defense, plus 1.5 percent on infrastructure. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said NATO members had no choice.

Pete Hegseth, U.S. Defense Secretary:

We're here to continue the work that President Trump started, which is a commitment to 5 percent defense spending across this alliance, which we think will happen, we think has to happen, by the summit at The Hague later this month.

Nick Schifrin:

But not all of NATO's 32 countries are on board. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles.

Margarita Robles, Spanish Defense Minister:

We think we are able to accomplish these capability targets for Spain with the 2 percent of GDP.

Nick Schifrin:

U.S. officials say those plans endorsed today born from estimates that Russia is rebuilding its defense industrial base for war beyond Ukraine. NATO hopes to be able to deploy 300,000 troops to Eastern Europe within six months should Russia attack.

The U.S. currently has 80,000 troops based in Europe and could reduce that number, Hegseth hinted today.

Pete Hegseth:

So, there are reasons why we have troops in certain places and we respect and understand that. It's also prudent that we review that force posture in real time alongside our allies and partners to make sure it's right-sized.

Nick Schifrin:

But NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed confidence in the U.S.' European presence, given the threat posed by Russia.

Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General:

We all know we will be safe for the next couple of years, but then we need to use those years to learn Russian if we don't do this.

Nick Schifrin:

Today, it is only Ukraine preventing Russia's advance. A defense official tells "PBS News Hour" this weekend's attack by Ukrainian drones destroyed about a dozen Russian bombers and damaged about a dozen more. That's less than Ukraine's public estimate.

In their phone call yesterday, President Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin not to respond.

Donald Trump:

I said, don't do it. You shouldn't do it. You should stop it. But, again, there's a lot of hatred.

Nick Schifrin:

Merz hoped to convince President Trump today to pressure Russia. But, in Trump's words, the children will continue to tussle.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin.