Germany’s Merz charts new course with US, breaking from 'false nostalgia'

BERLIN

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday called for a new approach in Europe's relations with the US, emphasizing that this approach should be free from “false nostalgia” and firmly grounded in Europe's interests.

Addressing the annual Ambassadors Conference at the German Foreign Ministry, Merz said Europeans can no longer expect the US to bear the main burden for security in Europe. Instead, they must strengthen the European pillar of NATO in the coming years.

“We must acknowledge one fact. Our relationship with the US is changing. The US is also reassessing its interests,” Merz told ambassadors serving at German missions worldwide. “This has not only been happening in the last few days. And we, here in Europe, also need to adjust our interests, without false nostalgia,” he added.

The conservative leader emphasized that the US remains Europe's most important partner, and Europeans will continue to seek cooperation and close coordination with the Americans. However, he also noted that recent developments with the Donald Trump administration have shown that Europeans must strengthen their unity and play a more active role in global politics.

“It is becoming clear that this partnership will no longer be taken for granted. It will be more issue- and interest-driven,” Merz stressed.

“This means that our position vis-a-vis the US will depend on our strength as Europeans. This is new, and it also means that we must forge new partnerships around the world, and expand and strengthen existing partnerships, more and more proactively than we have done so far,” he said.

Germany’s view of new world order

Merz argued that today's world is experiencing rapid changes and a new systemic conflict between liberal democracies and "an axis of autocracies," referring to Russia and China.

The chancellor emphasized that in this uncertain new era, Germany must pursue a pragmatic and more active foreign policy based on German interests while also considering broader European interests.

“As a country with limited natural resources, as an export-oriented economy, we simply cannot afford to be mere spectators in this process,” Merz said. He also emphasized that Germany should diversify its markets and supply sources, in order to avoid over-dependence on any single country.

“Our China policy must focus on seeking cooperation wherever possible. This applies to issues such as climate policy, global crises, and many other challenges,” the chancellor said.

“But at the same time, we recognize that systemic rivalry is increasing. Therefore, for our security and our competitiveness, it must be a priority to diversify our supply chains and trade routes,” he added.