WASHINGTON, DC – Ukraine was a priority, not the priority, as Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul touched down in Washington early this week.
Russia’s war is entering a more fragile phase, European anxiety is rising, and Berlin wanted to hear directly how firmly the US still sees itself anchored to Kyiv’s defense.
The visit came just days after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Europe to “raise the price of the war in Ukraine” to force Russia into accepting a ceasefire – a signal that patience in Berlin is wearing thin.
Wadephul’s meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened with Ukraine, according to officials familiar with the talks, reflecting Germany’s concern that the conflict might slip amid a crowded global agenda.
In a formal readout, the State Department said Rubio and Wadephul discussed “advancing efforts toward peace between Russia and Ukraine” and reaffirmed NATO’s mutual defense commitments.
Publicly, both sides emphasized unity. Privately, European officials say the timing of the visit was anything but routine.
“This was not a courtesy call,” said a senior Western official. “With everything going on, allies need reassurance that Washington’s attention isn’t drifting.”
Speaking to reporters after the talks, Wadephul stressed that both governments remain committed to Article 5, calling it decisive “in this period of uncertainty and crises” – language aimed squarely at Moscow, but also at increasingly nervous allies.
Warm words, thinner margins
Rubio, in a social media post, described the meeting as reinforcing the importance of the US-Germany partnership across shared challenges, including Ukraine, Iran, Venezuela and supply chain security.
Wadephul, in turn, thanked Rubio for a “trustful and in-depth exchange,” underscoring that Europe needs reliable partners in Washington – and that the US needs Europe as well.
On Ukraine, he wrote: “Our commitment to the Ukraine is crucial. Germany and the USA support the Ukrainian women and men who are fighting for democracy and freedom. Our goal is a lasting, resilient peace – with security guarantees.”
Yet the visit also underscored how much the relationship has changed.
Wadephul’s Washington schedule was sparse by past standards: roughly 30 minutes with Rubio, a brief stop with World Bank President Ajay Banga, and then on to New York to see UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“Access is harder, and expectations are lower,” said a European diplomat. “This trip was less about deals and more about keeping channels alive.”
The New York leg carried its own symbolism. Wadephul traveled by train to meet UN leadership after Washington announced it would withdraw from 66 international organizations, many linked to the UN system and the rules-based order Germany has long defended.
Greenland: Berlin draws a boundary
The sharpest divergence emerged over Greenland. With President Donald Trump again suggesting the Arctic island should fall under US control, Wadephul used his Washington stop to state Germany’s position clearly – and publicly.
“We will only strengthen security in the North Atlantic when we work together, in solidarity and united,” he told reporters.
“With regard to Greenland and Denmark, it is up to Greenland and Denmark – and the people of Greenland – to decide.”
The comments came amid rising unease in Europe that the standoff over Greenland could test NATO’s cohesion.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that an American takeover of the island would effectively end the alliance.
Wadephul sought to calm tensions, saying he does not expect US military action and welcoming planned US-Danish talks.
NATO, he noted, is developing concrete Arctic security plans that will later be discussed with Washington.
“For Germany, this is about more than Greenland,” a senior Western security official told Kyiv Post. “It’s about whether borders and sovereignty still matter – even among allies.”
The issue is set to intensify this week.
Rubio is expected to meet Wednesday with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt at the State Department – talks that European diplomats say will be closely watched.
Congress steps in
As diplomatic tensions simmer, Congress is moving to reassure Denmark.
A bipartisan delegation led by Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and including Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is heading to Copenhagen later this week to meet Danish and Greenlandic leaders.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on foreign policy and a member of the delegation, said the trip is meant to reaffirm “America’s ironclad alliance with Denmark” and its commitment to NATO.
“Amid emerging threats from Russia and China in the Arctic, the US must confront these challenges with NATO allies like Denmark,” she said on social media.
Danish and Greenlandic officials have welcomed the visit as a counterweight to destabilizing rhetoric.
“Berlin takes comfort in the fact that Congress still sees itself as a guardian of NATO,” said a Western diplomat. “Right now, that matters.”
Venezuela, Iran – and the rules-based order
Beyond Europe, Wadephul and Rubio discussed Venezuela, agreeing that it must no longer serve as an operating hub for adversarial activity.
German officials framed the issue through the lens of international law and coordinated pressure, rather than unilateral moves.
On Iran, Wadephul pressed for tougher sanctions, including expanding EU terrorism listings, and urged solidarity with protesters facing violent crackdowns.
Both sides reiterated the importance of denying Iran a nuclear weapon and coordinating action within the G7.
Still, Wadephul was careful to note that any US military decisions rest with Washington – a reminder of where European influence ends.
Holding the alliance together
Wadephul’s Washington and New York stops carried a message he has repeated throughout the trip: Germany is staying engaged, even as the ground beneath the transatlantic relationship shifts.
“This was less about damage control and more about reassurance,” said a senior European official. “Berlin’s calculation is simple: the alliance is under strain, but walking away would make it worse.”
For now, Germany is betting that steady diplomacy – and a firm defense of rules and alliances – can still hold the center.
With Ukraine unresolved and Greenland under pressure, the resilience of the transatlantic partnership is about to be measured.