Monday 03 / February / 2025
Berlin: German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier kicked off a three-day tour of the Middle East on Monday in which he will meet with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey.
The trip will primarily focus on the shifting security situation in Syria, where longtime ruler Bashar Assad was recently ousted by rebels after nearly 14 years of civil war, as well as the current state of affairs in Gaza. Humanitarian assistance for both Syria and Gaza are to be discussed in this context.
Iran's weakened position in the region and changes in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump are expected to be addressed as well.
The trip was initially planned to take place in November but was postponed due to the pending collapse of Germany's ruling center-left coalition.
Steinmeier touched down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday morning and is scheduled to meet with the kingdom's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, later in the day.
Steinmeier's office posted the president's travel itinerary on the social media platform X and made note of the fact that he is the first German head of state ever to be honored with an official state visit.
While in Riyadh, Steinmeier is expected to hold talks with representatives from various Saudi think tanks as well as to visit an arts center.
Steinmeier will depart for Jordan on Tuesday, where he will visit German service men and women at al-Azraq airbase, where Bundeswehr soldiers are stationed in the international fight against IS.
Jordan, which directly borders both Syria and Israel, is home to 2.39 million Palestinians and according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, hosts the world's second-largest number of refugees per capita. Most of the 730,000 refugees officially registered with the UNHCR are displaced Syrians.
Steinmeier is scheduled to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday before departing for Turkey.
Steinmeier to outline German interests to potentially sceptical partners
Steinmeier will wrap up his trip with a visit to Ankara, Turkey, where he will hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday evening.
Turkey, which is currently home to some 3.2 million Syrian refugees, has seen its influence in the region rise following the fall of Assad, and Steinmeier is expected to discuss plans to stabilise the war-torn nation with Erdogan.
Steinmeier's office says the president will clearly articulate German interests in the region during his trip. He may, however, face skepticism in talks as many Arab countries seem to have lost faith in Germany as an honest broker in the region due to Berlin's steadfast support for Israel in its quest to crush Hamas in Gaza.
Historically, Germany has been an ally to the Palestinian cause and an advocate for a two-state solution for Palestinian statehood as well as providing massive development aid to the region, but its unflinching support for Israel's right to defend itself in response to a brutal October 7, 2023, attack carried out by Hamas — who killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped nearly 250 — has caused consternation among regional partners.
In pursuing the eradication of Hamas, Israel's military has devastated the Gaza Strip, displacing 1.9 million of the enclave's 2.2 million Palestinian residents according to the UN, and killing 46,600 more according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
