Scholz in the USA: Biden’s leap of faith

While Chancellor Scholz in Washington hides the issue of Nord Stream 2, President Biden makes it clear. Scholz should be careful that his stubbornness does not become defiance. It’s not just abroad that people are waiting for clarity from the chancellor.

They were the expected pretty pictures. The German Chancellor was sitting in the Oval Office. Left Scholz. Right Biden. The fireplace crackled in the background. Welcome, said Biden. Three times. friends among themselves. And it was the expected kind words from a US president to the new chancellor of an old ally.

More of that later in the press conference. Germany unreliable? Biden not only went to great lengths to clear up what was beginning to creep in among the American public, but not only there – that Germany was acting in an unclear and ambiguous manner on the Ukraine question.

Biden almost rolled over. Germany is “totally, completely, absolutely” trustworthy and does not have to regain trust. Germany has it. Biden used the word about trust so often that it seemed like an incantation.

Scholz does not bow to the pressure

In any case, the official inaugural visit was definitely a success for the German chancellor. Interviews in the Washington Post, pictures with Biden. The chancellor chatted fluently in English for 15 minutes on CNN about Ukraine, about China, even about what keeps him up at night. By the way, it is the desire for world peace.

But one thing also sticks after this first lightning visit by the new German chancellor to the USA. Here in Washington, too, Scholz – knowing how much American politics, the Eastern Europeans, the Ukrainians are waiting for it – didn’t put a word in his mouth: Nord Stream 2.

Biden clear, Scholz ambiguous

All sanctions are on the table, the chancellor repeats his mantra. The fact that he does not name individuals is explained by the strategic ambiguity on which all the Allies worked together. A minute later, the US President said dryly: If Russia invades Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 will not exist. We, the US, will see to it. This is the opposite. It doesn’t get any more unequivocal.

Scholz remains for the ambiguous, who has just got it in his head not to put Nord Stream 2 in his mouth. What began as staying the course looks like stubbornness to some. Scholz should be careful that stubbornness does not turn into defiance, because this Olaf Scholz came to Washington with such self-confidence as if he had been chancellor for two terms rather than two months. As if people at home weren’t waiting to get a new announcement from the chancellor every day, but occasionally a clear one.

Scholz has to earn trust

Irritations about the government’s course in the Ukraine crisis? An Olaf Scholz has no irritations. The man has a plan. The German chancellor, who always had a plan – even when nobody saw him as chancellor at the time – traveled to Washington with him. Scholz’s idea: The newcomer to the Chancellery sits in the Oval Office next to Joe Biden, who will soon be 80. The US President shakes his hand and says kindness. The rest follows.

But the rest just doesn’t come up. This Olaf Scholz has self-confidence from home. But he has to earn trust as chancellor. Washington was just the beginning. Today Macron and Duda are coming to Berlin. Kiev and Moscow are waiting next week. There is not much room for ambiguity. Biden’s trust in Scholz, it sounded like an advance. But at least one among friends.