German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has acknowledged U.S. criticism that Europe underinvested in its own defence, admitting, “We have been free-riders in the past.” He said that Europe is now stepping up, aligning more closely with Washington.
Merz visited the UK to strengthen defence ties and sign a new bilateral treaty aimed at boosting cooperation on security, migration, and youth exchange. His early chancellorship has been shaped by Russia’s war in Ukraine and trade tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened 30% tariffs on EU exports.
In his first UK broadcast interview as chancellor, Merz said he speaks weekly with Trump and that they are coordinating efforts on both Ukraine and trade: “We are trying to bring this war to an end.”
Merz, a longtime supporter of Ukraine, visited Kyiv shortly after taking office. He warned that Russia’s threat goes beyond Ukraine, targeting Europe’s peace and political order. In response to criticism from U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, Merz said Germany drew important lessons and significantly boosted defence spending—enabled by a constitutional change even before he took office.
Germany, the UK, and France are now building a closer alliance, known as the E3, to strengthen European security and economic cooperation. Merz emphasized close ties with both UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who is visiting Berlin next week. The UK-German treaty completes a trilateral network of partnerships alongside similar agreements with France.
