Politiek

In beeld: de warme vriendschap tussen Merkel en Obama

Door Jeannette Kras

De band van de Duitse bondskanselier Angela Merkel en de Amerikaanse president Barack Obama is misschien wel de meest hechte in de huidige wereldpolitiek. De twee grote leiders hebben samen heel wat problemen opgelost, maar hadden ook opmerkelijk veel lol.

Helaas komt hun vriendschappelijke samenwerking ten einde. Afgelopen week kwam Obama nog één keer naar Berlijn om Merkel te bedanken. In een persconferentie noemde hij Merkel “een geweldige partner”. Hij zei: “Als het gaat om haar kernwaarden, haar integriteit, haar waarachtigheid, haar kennis van zaken vind ik haar buitengewoon.”

Merkel reageerde een beetje bedroefd. “Afscheid nemen van mijn partner en vriend, ja, dat valt me zwaar. Als je zo goed hebt samengewerkt met iemand, is het heel moeilijk als daar een einde aan komt.”

Warme woorden, die door deze prachtige foto’s worden bevestigd:

Barack Obama and Angela Merkel met in an official capacity for one last time in Germany last week after Donald Trump won the US election.

REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

The pair formed a close bond during Obama's eight-year presidency. In this image, the German Chancellor clearly has a lot to say to her US counterpart during the G7 meeting overlooking the Alps in June 2015.

REUTERS/Michael Kappeler/Pool

Even when meetings may be overshadowed by serious topics, Merkel and Obama have found time to have fun.

REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

World leaders love virtual reality just as much as the rest of us. During a trade fair in Hanover, Germany, they got the opportunity to try out a VR headset — to their obvious amusement.

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Merkel is one of the few leaders left among the US's closest allies who was in office when Obama became President in 2008.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

In a joint press conference last week, he called Chancellor Merkel "an outstanding partner."

REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

"In terms of our core values, in terms of her integrity, her truthfulness, her thoughtfulness, her doing her homework, knowing her facts... I think she's been outstanding."

REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

In the same conference, Merkel expressed her sadness at Obama's departure, saying: "Now, taking leave from my partner and friend, well, yes, it is hard. If you've worked together with somebody very well, leave-taking is very difficult."

REUTERS/Larry Downing

"We all know that democracy lives off change," Merkel told press. "So in the United States of America, the Constitution has very clear stipulations on this — eight years and that's it."

REUTERS/Jim Young

But while Obama is preparing for his departure from the top office, Merkel recently announced that she will be running for office for a fourth consecutive term.

EUTERS/ Nicolas Asfonri

Merkel told reporters at last week's press conference in Germany that it is "a very good thing if, after eight years of cooperation, the President of the United States says that this is a cooperation based on friendship."

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Cheers to that!

REUTERS/Larry Downing

Bron(nen):   Business Insider