As fighting involving the US, Israel and Iran drags on, Germany is stepping up diplomatic engagement with Gulf and regional partners to prevent escalation and protect trade and energy links. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has been unusually active, using high-level meetings and conferences to press a diplomatic alternative to further military action.
This week Wadephul met with Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, hosted a conference on energy security focused on lessons from Ukraine, and received delegations including the United Arab Emirates’ foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed and Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah. The Ukraine event, attended by officials from Germany’s economic ministry, highlighted how sustained attacks on energy infrastructure have prompted defensive adaptations that Germany could study and apply.
The outreach comes after Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking in Berlin at the end of April, voiced frustration with the course of the conflict and with the US and Israel’s handling of it. Merz said he was “disillusioned” by the lack of a swift resolution and argued that Europe must pursue its own diplomatic ideas while coordinating with Washington.
Germany is now prioritizing talks with Gulf states that have been targeted by Iran and are alarmed by a stalled conflict and Moscow’s backing of Tehran. German officials and analysts say the goal is to build dependable partners in a region where many feel the United States has faltered as guarantor of security and economic stability. That perceived US weakness, they argue, has made Germany more attractive as a partner committed to a rules-based international order.
Max Hofmann, head of DW’s Berlin bureau, noted that Gulf states should not be treated as a monolith but that reliable relationships are the objective. Philipp Dienstbier of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation said the pivot to the Gulf was already underway before the current war: senior German leaders, including Chancellor Merz and Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, had visited the region to signal interest in strategic, long-term cooperation.
Wadephul’s diplomacy also included a meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, whose country currently holds the ASEAN presidency. ASEAN members have been particularly affected by disruptions such as a partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for energy and trade. German officials point out that while shipping routes may reopen eventually, Gulf states are already exploring alternative transport corridors and could become important suppliers of green hydrogen to Germany in the longer term.
Beyond regional security and energy cooperation, Wadephul’s visible role as host and interlocutor supports Germany’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council; the UN General Assembly is scheduled to vote on June 3. Germany faces competition from Austria and Portugal for the European seat, making every diplomatic conversation potentially influential.
The overall message from Berlin is clear: Germany is betting on diplomacy, partnership and adherence to international rules to navigate the crisis and to deepen ties with Gulf and Asian partners whose security and economic models have been shaken by the conflict. (This article was originally written in German.)