President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz papered over their differences, especially concerning the war in Ukraine, during their first face-to-face meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he found President Donald Trump open to discussion and is convinced that Washington remains committed to the NATO alliance.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz successfully navigated a 40-minute meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office without falling victim to the public humiliation the American president has doled out to other leaders — even though both Germany and Europe are two of Trump’s perpetual irritants.