German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has taken a swipe at Donald Trump, signaling that Europe will not be intimidated by the US president while reaffirming its commitment to preserving the transatlantic alliance. Merz said Europe is ready to defend itself “if necessary” and criticized Trump for downplaying the role of NATO troops in Afghanistan. Merz presented Germany in particular and Europe in general as an alternative partner for countries seeking to diversify away from the US and China, saying that “we are a viable alternative to imperialism and autocracy on the world stage,” Bloomberg reports.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
In an address to parliament, the chancellor said the European Union's resistance this month to Trump's threat to impose new tariffs on countries that oppose his plans for Greenland was a testament to the bloc's “unity and determination.”
“Trump should know that Europe is ready to defend itself if necessary,” he told Bundestag deputies in Berlin.
He also criticized the US leader for downplaying the role of NATO troops in Afghanistan, saying he would not allow Germany's mission there, during which some 60 soldiers died, “to be humiliated and disparaged.”
ADVERTISING
In his address to the Bundestag, Friedrich Merz reiterated that he wants to work hard to preserve the NATO military alliance, “despite some irritation.”
“This Alliance and the trust in NATO, which has grown over more than seven decades, remains the best guarantee of freedom, peace and security for all involved on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said.
At the same time, he presented Germany and Europe as an alternative partner for countries seeking to diversify away from the US and China.
ADVERTISING
Merz's speech came after his coalition published a policy document that spoke of a “paradigm shift” taking place in a world where “major powers act without regard for others” and “economic shocks are becoming more likely.”
“To survive in this new world order, to preserve peace, freedom and prosperity, and to assert its sovereignty, Germany, and Europe as a whole, must become stronger,” the document states.
Concluding his address, Merz said that he was convinced that Germany and Europe were still far from fully utilizing their potential.
“There is so much potential in this European Union and in our country that we can do something good in this difficult situation in the world,” he told lawmakers. “We are under pressure from many sides, but this pressure can bring a lot of good, and maybe we even need this pressure.”
ADVERTISING
Previously, “FACTS” wrote about why Washington's diplomacy creates problems for allies.