Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
US State Department sanctions UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese.
Yemeni Armed Forces: We reiterate our warning to companies dealing with ports in occupied Palestine that their vessels and crews will be targeted anywhere.
Yemeni Armed Forces: We reaffirm our commitment to preventing Israeli maritime activity in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
Yemeni Armed Forces: This naval military operation was carried out in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and in solidarity with their heroic resistance fighters.
Yemeni Armed Forces: The vessel was targeted after it ignored calls and warnings issued by the Yemeni naval forces.
Yemeni Armed Forces: We targeted the vessel ETERNITY C as it was heading to the occupied port of Umm al-Rashrash using a drone boat and six cruise missiles.
Israeli drones conduct an airstrike on Saboura and Yafour in the Damascus countryside, Syria.
Al-Qassam Brigades: We targeted an Israeli army D9 bulldozer with a Shawaaz explosive device in a resistance operation in the Ma'an area, south of Khan Younis, on June 24
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Syrian army and police forces will only be permitted to carry light weapons in the buffer zones
Sources to Al Mayadeen: All heavy weapons will be evacuated from Syrian army barracks in the south of the country

German opposition's chancellor candidate backs trade talks with Trump

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 2 Jan 2025 18:19
3 Min Read

Friedrich Merz asserted that Germany needs a "positive agenda" with the US that benefits both American and European consumers.

Listen
  • x
  • German opposition's chancellor candidate backs trade talks with Trump
    German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union Party chairman Friedrich Merz watches the media in a news conference in Berlin, Germany, on September 17, 2024. (AP)

German conservative politician Friedrich Merz, who is expected to follow Olaf Scholz as chancellor, said he would favor a fresh round of free trade discussions with the United States in reaction to stricter trade terms.

Merz stated in an interview released Thursday that Europe's economy would confront hard conditions under US President-elect Donald Trump, but the reaction should be for Germany and Europe to regain competitiveness rather than imposing tariffs.

According to Merz, "We need a positive agenda with the U.S. that benefits American and European consumers alike," adding that "A new European-American initiative for joint free trade could prevent a dangerous spiral of tariffs."

Trump, who will take office around a month before Germany's federal elections, halted discussions on a potential trade agreement between the European Union and the US during his first term and instead pursued a series of trade disagreements with the EU.

Before his reelection, Trump stated that he would impose significant tariffs on EU exports, which would hurt the already struggling German economy especially hard because the US is the major importer of its commodities.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell issued a warning on November 21 that Trump's proposed tariffs and foreign policy approach could have "far-reaching consequences" for the transatlantic relationship.

Merz went on to say that Germany has to progressively reduce its corporate taxes to 25% and address non-wage labor expenses in order to become an attractive location to conduct business again.

Related News

Rubio sanctions UN’s Francesca Albanese over ICC push on 'Israel'

Borrell blasts 'war criminal' Netanyahu for Trump Nobel nomination

He expressed that Germany could then tell the US "Yes, we are ready to face this competition with you as well."

Trump tells EU to buy US oil, gas or face tariffs: Financial Times

The Financial Times (FT) reported in mid-December that US President-elect Donald Trump warned the EU that it must agree to purchase "large scale" amounts of US oil and gas or face tariffs.

“I told the European Union that they must make up their tremendous deficit with the United States by the large-scale purchase of our oil and gas. Otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Trump's threat comes after Brussels had already expressed interest in purchasing more US-liquefied natural gas, which has become crucial for the EU following Russia's reduction of fossil fuel supplies after it invaded Ukraine.

In November, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU would consider increasing its purchase of gas from the US, according to FT.

“We still get a lot of LNG from Russia and why not replace it with American LNG, which is cheaper for us and brings down our energy prices,” she told reporters.

“It seems odd as a ‘threat’ given that von der Leyen alluded to the possibility of doing precisely this,” one EU official observed.

Trump has threatened a blanket tariff of up to 20% on all non-Chinese US imports. In November, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde urged Europe's political leaders to work with him on tariffs and increase purchases of US-made products.

  • Germany
  • Olaf Scholz
  • Donald Trump
  • United States
  • Friedrich Merz

Most Read

Syria demands 1/3 of Golan, Lebanese areas for 'Israel' peace deal

Syria demands 1/3 of Golan, Lebanese areas for 'Israel' normalization

  • MENA
  • 4 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Al-Qassam hits IOF groupings in Khan Younis; ‘tough incident’ reported

3 Israeli soldiers killed by Resistance gunfire in south, north Gaza

  • Palestine
  • 4 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation
Politics

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese at a press conference during a session of the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, on March 27, 2024. (AFP)
Politics

Rubio sanctions UN’s Francesca Albanese over ICC push on 'Israel'

An Israeli captive is escorted by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Hamas seeks full Israeli withdrawal, aid in Gaza truce talks

Tehran demands UN probe into Israeli use of mercenaries inside of Iran
Politics

Tehran demands UN probe into Israeli use of mercenaries inside of Iran

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS