Just two months after demanding that Europe makes its next steps without using America as a crutch, Friedrich Merz has realised the continent cannot do without Donald Trump’s support—especially when it comes to Ukraine.
The new German chancellor said at a news conference with Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday that “we cannot end this war in Ukraine without a continued involvement of the United States of America.”
This is not something that Europeans can substitute for.
The French president no doubt accepts the truth of this comment, having spent months trying—and largely failing—to organise a European ‘peacekeeping’ force for Ukraine, which he and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stress would depend on a U.S. backstop.
Merz also stressed that while Europe will contribute what it can to security guarantees for Ukraine, “at the same time we are aware that we will continue to need the Americans.”
We want the Americans to remain onboard, and to meet their responsibilities within NATO and towards Ukraine.
This is a major shift in tone from when the then-prospective chancellor said in February his “absolute priority” was to “really achieve independence from the U.S.,” in part because members of Trump’s team “are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe.”
His vision was somewhat shattered when a German defence CEO warned last month that there are “significant deficits in terms of capabilities” in the country’s army, meaning it is “essential to continue our trusted collaboration with the American industry.”
Merz also said on Wednesday that he would give his team the “mandate” to discuss nuclear deterrence on the continent with UK and French officials—noting again that “any such arrangement would be “complementary to what we already have with our American partners within NATO.”
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
