On July 15, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Joe Biden held talks, which resulted in the adoption of the Washington Declaration.
“This is a document confirming our [US] commitment to the firm democratic principles that underlie both our countries, as well as how we will apply them to meet the most significant challenges of today and tomorrow”, — Biden described the Washington Declaration.
The two leaders discussed cooperation on a number of issues: the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, climate threats, economic relations and international security.
The construction of the Nord Stream was the main topic of the negotiations. The President and the Chancellor acknowledged the existence of disagreements over the construction of the Nord Stream — 2 gas pipeline by Russia. The United States believes that Russia will use the Nord Stream 2 to put pressure on Ukraine. The Chancellor also noted that Berlin and Washington look at the project differently, however, they agree that Ukraine should remain a transit country.
“We talked about Russia and Ukraine, as well as about the Nord Stream-2 . We have different opinions about this project, but I want to say clearly that our understanding is the same: Ukraine remains a transit country for natural gas, Ukraine has the right to territorial sovereignty, like any other country, so we are participating in the Minsk process. We will also actively cooperate if Russia does not give Ukraine the right to be a transit country. For this reason, Nord Stream 2 is an additional project, and not a project replacing gas transit through Ukraine,” — Angela Merkel said.
Biden expressed his opinion as follows: “My point of view on the Nord Stream-2 has been known for a long time: good friends may disagree, but by the time I became president, it [NS — 2] was completed by 90%, and the introduction of sanctions would have made no sense.”
The United States openly opposes the construction of the Nord Stream—2 and is taking active measures aimed at blocking it in order to support Ukraine, through which gas is in transit.
The leaders of the United States and Germany also discussed the situation in China and the floods in Germany, which claimed the lives of several dozen people and caused huge damage to the country. The Chancellor insists on the need for cooperation with China on global issues such as climate change and the coronavirus pandemic. She held this position even when President Trump blamed Beijing for the origin of the coronavirus.
In addition, Biden announced the beginning of a partnership with Germany in several areas: technology development in developing economies, climate and energy.
Following the meeting, representatives of the two countries signed the Washington Declaration-a list of provisions on which the partnership between the United States and Germany is based.
This was Merkel’s last official visit to the United States as Chancellor. Merkel has led Germany since 2005. She was repeatedly included in the list of the most influential people on the planet, and for many years she largely determined European politics. The Chancellor is leaving the post this autumn.
“It was a friendly exchange of views,” — said Angela Merkel. — “We have a close partnership, and I would like it to remain after I leave the post of federal chancellor,” — Merkel shared about her relationship with Biden.
