The United States and Germany: Strengthening Our Alliance

Office of the Spokesperson

“We count on Germany as a key Ally, friend and partner.”

 – Secretary Antony J. Blinken, May 24, 2021

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to the Federal Republic of Germany on June 22, 2021, where he will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to deepening the U.S.-Germany and Transatlantic relationships.  They will discuss recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, addressing the climate crisis, and meeting the challenges posed by China and Russia.  Secretary Blinken will also take part in the Berlin II Conference on peace and stability in Libya.

Working Together to Strengthen European and Global Security

• The United States and Germany enjoy a close relationship and Alliance, built on mutual commitments to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, security and prosperity.  The United States and Germany cooperate through several multilateral institutions including NATO, the G7, the OSCE, and the UN, to advance security, democratic values and the rule of law globally.
• The United States and Germany are engaged and dedicated NATO Allies, and American and German servicemembers have proudly served side by side in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Our two countries are committed to close Transatlantic defense cooperation, and joint training and capacity building exercises are regularly performed at U.S. military installations in Germany.
• The United States and Germany share concerns about the health of both our citizens and the global community as we seek to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and ensure equitable access to safe and effective vaccines.  Both countries are leaders in funding global vaccination efforts, with the United States announcing funding of $4 billion to COVAX and Germany announcing funding of 1.5 billion euros to COVAX and the WHO.

Extensive Economic and Cultural Ties

• The United States and Germany share a deep, extensive, and mutually beneficial trade relationship.  Germany is the largest European trading partner of the United States.  In 2020 Germany was the sixth-largest market globally for U.S. exports and the United States’ fifth-largest trading partner in total trade.  Since 2012, the United States and Germany have averaged roughly $170 billion in annual trade in goods, with $172.9 billion in total trade in 2020.  The United States is Germany’s largest export market, and Germany is the third-largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States.
• More than 40 million Americans of German heritage live in the United States, comprising the largest ethnic ancestry group of the United States.  Established in 1952, the U.S.-Germany Fulbright program is one of the oldest, largest, and most innovative Fulbright programs in the world, and the binational German-American Fulbright Commission has created initiatives such as diversity programs and an international higher education administrators seminar, which are emulated by other Fulbright commissions in Europe and around the world.  Since 1983, the bilateral Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program has provided almost 28,000 U.S. and German high school students and young professionals with an academic year exchange experience resulting in thousands of new personal and professional connections between the United States and Germany.

Working Together to Combat Anti-Semitism and Holocaust Denial

• The United States and Germany share a commitment to combatting anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial and distortion and to finding innovative new ways to enhance Holocaust education and commemoration.  We plan to discuss steps we can take together in these areas.

United in Combatting the Climate Crisis

• The United States and Germany are leaders in the fight against climate change, encouraging other countries to set ambitious climate targets of their own.  The United States is committed to reaching the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as outlined in the Paris Agreement.  We applaud Germany’s ambitious climate goals that they have set for themselves in terms of cutting emissions.  Our two countries are united in our goals of leading the world to develop innovative clean technologies, transforming energy systems across the board, and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across global economies by 2050 or before.
• S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry recently visited Germany to discuss climate policy, where he met with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Berlin to discuss the threat of climate change to international security.  The United States looks forward to cooperating with Germany in preparation for the COP26 Conference in Glasgow in November.