Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Germany from November 6-8 to participate in events commemorating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and to highlight the vital role the United States played in helping the people of Eastern and Central Europe throw off the yoke of communism. He will also meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, and Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, to discuss the Transatlantic partnership and the need for strengthened engagement in the face of growing threats from Russia, China, and Iran.

THE UNITED STATES AND GERMANY HAVE LONG PARTNERED TO PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC VALUES

The United States provided steadfast support to help Germany emerge from the ruins of war and later Soviet oppression to become a showcase for peace, opportunity, and prosperity.

The United States and Germany form the bedrock of the Transatlantic relationship and the 29-member NATO Alliance. The bilateral relationship is built on the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

The United States and Germany work to protect and defend human rights for all. Our two countries have been leading voices against the Chinese Communist Party’s oppressive campaign against Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in China’s Xinjiang province. We welcomed Germany’s co-sponsorship of an event on the human rights crisis in Xinjiang during the UN General Assembly High Levels Week September 24, and its cosigning of a joint statement on Xinjiang at the Third Committee on October 29.

The United States and Germany are committed to holding Russia accountable for its destabilizing activities around the world, including through coordinated sanctions. We also work closely to address Iran’s malign behavior and thank Germany for joining us in rightfully placing blame on Iran for the Saudi Aramco attack.

A STRONG TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE IS CRITICAL TO PEACE AND PROSPERITY

The United States and Germany work side by side to maintain peace and freedom with our NATO Allies. The United States seeks to build a stronger, deeper partnership with Germany within NATO.

The NATO Alliance continues to provide security and stability. American and German service members have served proudly beside one another at NATO missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States continues to work with Germany on our joint commitment to NATO’s principle of collective defense.

Germany serves as a framework nation for NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence, regularly contributes to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing, and took the lead on NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) for the second time in 2019.

S. and German troops work together effectively in NATO and UN operations worldwide, due in part to the joint training and capacity-building performed at U.S. military installations in Germany. 35,000 American troops are permanently stationed in Germany, and when rotational troops are included, that number exceeds 50,000.

The United States and Germany share a deep trade and investment relationship that benefits both nations.

Germany is the United States’ largest European trading partner and the sixth largest market for U.S. exports. Germany is the fourth largest FDI contributor to the United States with over $470 million in German FDI in 2018. German companies employ more than 700,000 U.S. workers and American companies employ approximately the same number of German workers.

The U.S. welcomes Germany’s enhanced global diplomatic, economic, and security engagement as a UN Security Council member for 2019-2020.

PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES FORM THE FOUNDATION OF OUR PARTNERSHIP