“The U.S. Is Our Friend, But No Longer the Old Guarantor”

At the CDU Federal Party Congress in Stuttgart, German Chancellor Merz placed the future of transatlantic ties at the center of his foreign policy message.

While emphasizing that Americans “are our friends and should remain our friends,” he made clear that Germany cannot rely on old assumptions about U.S. global leadership.

A Changing American Role

Merz said the United States is increasingly losing interest in serving as the guarantor of the international order and as a reliable global trendsetter.

He urged Germany and Europe to recognize this reality clearly and soberly, arguing that clinging to nostalgia would be a strategic mistake.

His remarks suggest a shift in Berlin’s thinking: maintaining close ties with Washington while preparing for a more self-reliant European security posture.

Europe Must Step Up

According to Merz, Europe can no longer assume that security guarantees will function as they did in previous decades.

He described the current moment as an in-between era: not fully at war, but no longer fully at peace. “The threat to our freedom is palpable,” he said, underscoring the need for stronger European responsibility.

China and Competing Worldviews

Merz also pointed to China as a strategic rival positioning itself in explicit opposition to the U.S. He warned that Beijing promotes a multilateral order shaped by its own rules—one that does not prioritize freedom of expression, religious freedom, or universal human rights.

In this context, he argued that Europe and the United States must defend their shared understanding of freedom and human dignity.

Russia, Ukraine and the Limits of Appeasement

Turning to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Merz reaffirmed unconditional support for Ukraine and rejected what he called “naive pacifism.”

“Appeasement does not create peace. It encourages the aggressor,” he said, signaling that Germany’s security policy must remain firm in the face of authoritarian threats.