- Friedrich Merz drew attention to the rapid disintegration of the international order in the world.
- He highlighted the importance of partnerships and alliances based on trust and respect.
- He called the Russian invasion of Ukraine the most drastic manifestation of the new global era.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that the international order was “disintegrating at breakneck speed” and that “a world in which only force matters is a dangerous place”. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
During a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Merz pointed to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the strengthening of China and radical changes in foreign and security policy under the influence of the US. “A world where only power matters is a dangerous place. First of all, this applies to small states and powers, and last but not least to great powers… in the 20th century, my country, Germany, took this path to its bitter end. It plunged the world into a dark abyss” said Merz.
“So let’s not forget that our greatest strength continues to be the ability to build partnerships and alliances between equals that are based on mutual trust and respect“, he emphasized.
Merz called the Russian invasion of Ukraine the “most drastic manifestation” of the global “new era” so far. According to him, at the same time, China has worked its way up among the great powers, and the position of the United States is threatened, to which Washington reacts by changing its foreign and security policy.
“The times of great power politics have arrived. The international order of the past three decades, anchored in international law, has always been imperfect. Today, it is already shaking at its foundations,” the chancellor declared. According to Merz, it is therefore important to invest in defense, increase the competitiveness of economies and also maintain the cohesion of Europeans and partnerships with the same values.
The German chancellor welcomed US President Donald Trump’s decision to abandon threats to forcibly take control of the Danish autonomous island – Greenland. “Any threat of a forcible takeover of territory is unacceptable… new tariffs would also undermine the foundations of the transatlantic relationship. If implemented, Europe would respond unitedly… judiciously and forcefully“, explained Merz.
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday tariffs on imports from European countries that opposed the US takeover of the autonomous Danish island. The head of the White House finally backed down and on Wednesday announced a vague agreement to ensure the security of the Arctic island. Merz promised that the NATO allies would together “protect Denmark, Greenland and the North from threats from Russia” and stressed that “Copenhagen and Nuuk can count on our solidarity”. He also added that it is necessary to restore confidence in NATO.
