German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for Germany to seek new trade partners beyond the United States and the European Union amid the ongoing trade tensions marked by a 15% tariff imposed by the US on EU goods. Merz emphasized that Germany must look beyond the current US-EU trade deal to secure its future economic relations, suggesting that Americans may no longer be willing to adhere to established trade rules. This stance was echoed by Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in India, who highlighted that tariffs are obstacles to free trade and advocated for reducing them to minimal levels. In parallel, Chancellor Merz addressed geopolitical concerns by urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or face a stern response from Western countries. EU foreign ministers have been coordinating with their US counterpart, Senator Marco Rubio, on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and related diplomatic steps.