Germany has tightened on the border. New Chancellor: I agreed with Tusk
This interview was created in cooperation with Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, of which Onet.pl is part.
Jan Philipp Burgard: Mr. Chancellor, I am very happy that you have found time for this conversation.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz: Yes, Mr. Burghardt, thank you very much. All my pleasure.
This is your first day as a chancellor, as well as the first flight of a government plane in this role. What feeling is it?
This shows the possibilities offered by such a means of transport, but also how important it is that we have it.
You are a pilot yourself, you have a license. If the pilot of the government aircraft fainted, could you take over the reins in the cockpit?
No, I couldn't. This is a completely different plane, a completely different dimension. If it were necessary, maybe for landing, but I hope that this will not happen. We have good crews here. I will not expose myself to this situation.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (L) during a conversation with the editor -in -chief of “Die Welt” Jan Philipp Burgard on a government plane flying to Warsaw, May 7, 2025.
A new chapter in the relations of Germany and France
You mentioned a visit to the President of France. You have discussed a lot of issues. You said that you want to open a new chapter in French-German relations. But it was more than symbolism. You announced a number of joint initiatives. What are the three most important priorities in their implementation?
Well, the number one priority is the European contribution to the end of the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. This is the biggest challenge that Europe is currently facing. This terrible war has been going on for over three years. Buto not only a crisis, it's also great opportunities.
One of the biggest is that we can work together to strengthen the competitiveness of the European industry. France, like Germany, is a great industrial country. Both countries need a manufacturing industry. We are large Member States of the European Union. We want to cooperate in Europe to ensure systematic abolition of excessive European bureaucracy.
The third important issue is, of course, defense skills under NATO. This is particularly important in the light of the changes that we currently observe in transatlantic relations coming out of Washington. Europe must become much more independent. I talked about it several times with Emmanuel Macron. Today for the first time in my new role.
German Chancellor (L) Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting in Paris, France, May 7, 2025.
How does Germany participate in this French nuclear umbrella?
France has been proposing to Germany talks on this subject for many years, if not for decades. Charles de Gaulle also made such an offer in the 1960s. I took this idea and said: Yes, we can talk about it, being aware that for a long time we will not be able to replace the US nuclear protection as part of the NATO alliance in Europe. France has made an offer. And I accept such an offer to at least talk about it.
Illegal migration: joint efforts with Poland
Poland is another stop on your journey. It is also an important neighborhood and partner state. On the one hand, in terms of support for Ukraine, but also in terms of migration. Today, the German Interior Minister [Aleksander] Dobrindt has taken decisive action on the external borders of Germany. He ordered to immediately prevent all migrants to enter the country, even if they apply for asylum. He also ordered the Federal Police to tighten the border controls, take decisive actions and increase the number of recycled people. Has it agreed with Poland?
I talked about it at the weekend with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. I also talked about it with Emmanuel Macron. We agree that we in the EU now have to make joint efforts to limit illegal migration to Europe. We know that controls at the internal borders can only be a temporary means. However, they are necessary as long as such a high level of illegal migration persists in the EU.
Common features with Donald Trump
On Thursday, you will talk to the US president for the first time. Americans are Small Talk masters, and people usually start by looking for a common plane of agreement. What connects you with Donald Trump?
Well, we'll talk on the phone on Thursday. First, on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. That day I would like to call Western allies who liberated the Germans from national socialism, and just thank them again on this memorable day for their commitment, for which they paid the lives of many soldiers.
Donald Trump and I can even have several common features. We both spent a long time in the private sector. We both took on a political role for the second time. I will start with it [rozmowę]. But I'm sure he will also raise his issues. I am looking forward to it.
Trade war from the USA
You mentioned that he worked in the private sector and even for an American company. Trump sees himself as a negotiator. At the moment he does not think so much in transatlantic terms as in transactional. What can you offer him to dissuade him from the imposition of duties that would cause great damage to the German economy?
In Europe, there is a widespread belief that duties really harm everyone interested and do not bring serious benefits to anyone. Our experience in Europe with open borders and free trade shows that it ultimately benefits everyone. Relations between economic countries are not a zero -sum game; If the conditions are appropriate, everyone can use it. And that's what I will try to explain to him.
I understand that America is complaining about a high commercial deficit. On the other hand, in the case of Europe, it has always been happy that it was not included in the services. Of course, we also use American services exported to Europe. I will try to explain to him that we want to make trade easier, not to hinder him.
Do you strive to conclude a new free trade agreement with America, a kind of TTIP 2.0 [chodzi o Transatlantyckie Partnerstwo w dziedzinie Handlu i Inwestycji, czyli porozumienie handlowe mające na celu utworzenie strefy wolnego handlu między USA i UE. Negocjacje z nim związane są zawieszone od 2016 r.]?
We certainly won't go in the same direction as then. TTIP was right at that time. It is a pity that it could not be realized. We will not be able to restore it in the same form as then.
However, I would like to propose [Donaldowi Trumpowi] At least reaching an agreement between Europe and America regarding customs and maybe even an agreement on technical norms to facilitate their mutual recognition. We must reach an agreement on this issue.
Appeal to the USA: Don't interfere in Germany's internal policy
Some representatives of the American government criticized Classification of an alternative to Germany [AfD] by the German Internal Intelligence Agency as an extreme right organization. You replied that he would prefer not to interfere in internal policy. Do you think that it is necessary to take a clear position and set boundaries in dealing with Trump and his surroundings?
Regardless of where I meet representatives of the American government, I always tell them: “In recent years, we have largely stayed away from the American election campaign, including me personally. We have not told any of the candidates.
I think that the American government must accept the way we treat our democratic institutions, parties recognized by the intelligence services as extremist, in this case extreme right. Americans would probably also oppose our internal policy. This is our business. We decide about it, not the American government.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz aboard the government aircraft on the way to a meeting with Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, May 7, 2025.
Help and safety guarantees for Ukraine
During a joint press conference with President Macron, you said that Trump has full support in the matter of stopping killing in Ukraine. Germany and France are ready to participate in the monitoring of the room and granting a guarantee of security to Kiev. Does this also mean that you will send German soldiers to Ukraine?
This question is currently not important. We are far from suspending weapons, and even further to the peace agreement. The first priority is now to ensure that, as announced by the Russian authorities, the weapon will be suspended this weekend. I really hope that they can be extended outside the weekend. But it depends only on the Russian government.
Americans are very active in this matter. We support it. And then we will have to see how the situation is developing. The most important thing is that people stop dying in Ukraine. And what will happen next, we will have to discuss with Ukraine, but of course also with the American government.
You said earlier that the presence of German soldiers in Ukraine is not an option. But how else can we define safety guarantees or monitoring a possible room?
Well, of course, we could still support the Ukrainian army very strongly, equip it very well with American help as part of joint European efforts. So there is a whole range of possibilities to ensure the conclusion of a weapon suspension agreement and the actual compliance with a subsequent peace agreement.
On Thursday you will talk to Donald Trump on the phone. You will probably meet soon. Golf gentlemen are both playing. Would invitation to Golf party be a good idea to build a good relationship?
I don't know if it's a good idea yet. It is important that we talk to each other. This year, several important international meetings await us, during which we will meet anyway – the G7 peak and NATO peak. I would like us to meet earlier, so that we can get to know each other in person, and then find as many common points as possible and use them together.
Mr. Chancellor, thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
