There are \u201cways to be proactive \u2026 without taking gratuitous shots at President Trump that don’t actually help,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Be nice to Trump<\/p>\n
Instead, European leaders should follow the example of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who has been careful not to anger Trump by backing the war against Iran<\/a>. \u201cWorking with President Trump, being complimentary, being enthusiastic, because … he is doing them a service,” is the approach they should take, Volker said.<\/p>\n He also called on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to turn up the charm on Trump. Germany has not restricted the use of its crucial Ramstein air base and Merz has not clashed with the U.S. president, although he has observed that relations with the U.S. are \u201cjust difficult\u201d at the moment.<\/p>\n Merz has been more circumspect with the president than Starmer, and Trump has not retaliated against him as he has with the British prime minister. “Unlike Keir Starmer, where President Trump seems to like to go after him a little bit, to poke him a little bit, he doesn’t do that with Merz personally,\u201d Volker said.<\/p>\n Merz has invited Trump to visit the birthplace of his grandfather in western Germany. If that happens, \u201cI would just make sure that President Trump comes away from it feeling that he’s been shown respect, because that’s what he craves.\u201d<\/p>\n