“Germany must have the strongest army in Europe.” Merz wants closer cooperation with Poland and France

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an interview with “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” that he seeks to tighten cooperation with the governments of EU countries – including: Poland, France, Italy and northern European countries. As he emphasized, international cooperation is already bringing results in response to the war in Ukraine.

When asked about Russia's possible aggression against NATO countries, Merz replied that he had no doubt that, in accordance with Art. 5. of the North Atlantic Treaty, all allies, including the USA, will honor their obligations to provide mutual assistance.

“President Trump is aware of the responsibility he bears. He also knows what possibilities he has. If the 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza is to be a model of success for this presidency, he will continue to pay attention to Ukraine and strive to end the war in this country,” the chancellor said. In Merz's opinion, the announcement of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest further strengthens this hope.

When asked about the demands for greater sovereignty of EU countries, the head of the German government pointed out the importance of cooperation between the governments of the EU countries. “Therefore, I am striving to tighten cooperation, e.g. with France, Poland, Italy and Northern European countries. Thanks to this intergovernmental cooperation, a lot is happening, for example in terms of the European response to the war in Ukraine,” Merz noted.

The Chancellor emphasized that Germany wants to build the strongest conventional army in Europe. “Our partners and allies also expect this,” he said, pointing to the need to rebuild deterrence capabilities.

Referring to the project of a new model of military service, which recently caused tensions in the coalition of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, Merz emphasized that it is crucial to reach an agreement quickly. “This reform is an important element of our efforts to strengthen defense capabilities,” the Chancellor emphasized.

From Berlin Iwona Weidmann (PAP)

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