Donald Trump's presidency of the United States implies challenges – but is also an opportunity for Europe to break its paralysis and make a major investment in defense, according to Friedrich Merz.
The Christian Democrat is likely to be tasked with forming a new German government after the election on February 23, according to opinion polls.
If we want to be taken seriously in Washington, we Europeans must take responsibility for our own security, says Merz in a foreign policy speech in Berlin.
No Joint Loans
He continues to reject joint European loans to finance the military buildup that many analysts consider necessary – not least after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago.
Instead, Merz wants to see more coordination among European NATO countries regarding the production and procurement of weapon systems.
The CDU leader also highlights the relations with Poland, which allocates a much larger share of its GDP to defense than Germany. The country is, along with France and Germany, the most important EU leader, says Merz.
On day one, I will travel to Warsaw and Paris to talk to Tusk and Macron about joint, concrete initiatives.
Jab at Baerbock
Merz promises to establish a national security council and develop an expanded national security strategy with tougher priorities.
In his speech, he also appears to take a jab at Germany's current Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock from the Green Party, whose English language skills are generally considered to be deficient.
I will not appoint anyone who does not speak at least everyday English as a minister.
