(de-news.net) – Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has outlined a comprehensive foreign policy strategy at the opening of the Munich Security Conference, placing particular emphasis on recalibrating transatlantic relations while simultaneously strengthening Europe’s strategic capacity. In his keynote address, he advocated a revitalized and forward-looking framework for cooperation with the United States and argued that Europe must assume a more self-confident, cohesive, and resilient role within an increasingly contested global order. His remarks positioned Europe not merely as a partner within existing alliances, but as an actor capable of shaping its own strategic environment.
Central to Merz’s argument was the assertion that Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security architecture and progressively reduce structural dependencies that have accumulated over recent decades. He maintained that Europe’s pronounced reliance on Washington had been the consequence of its own political choices and strategic preferences rather than the result of external compulsion. In his assessment, this pattern of dependence now required a deliberate and definitive correction. At the same time, he cautioned against any course that might weaken the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Rather than distancing Europe from the alliance framework, he proposed reinforcing a robust and autonomous European pillar within NATO, thereby enhancing burden-sharing while preserving transatlantic cohesion.
Conference convenes global leaders amid strategic recalibration
The Chancellor further situated his analysis within what he characterized as an emerging “period of big powers,” warning that liberal democratic freedoms were increasingly exposed to mounting geopolitical competition. In response to this evolving strategic landscape, he noted that Europe had already begun expanding its military capabilities and investing more substantially in defense readiness. Considerable financial resources, he indicated, were being directed toward strengthening collective security mechanisms embedded in NATO structures, reflecting a broader recognition of the need for credible deterrence and operational preparedness.
Addressing shifting global power dynamics, Merz observed that China could attain military parity with the United States in the foreseeable future while simultaneously seeking expanded global influence. These developments, he argued, underscored the urgency of redefining the foundations of transatlantic cooperation. The largely automatic character that had long defined the partnership could no longer be assumed to persist under changing strategic conditions. Consequently, rebuilding mutual confidence would require tangible European contributions and a clearly articulated commitment to shared security objectives, thereby anchoring the partnership in reciprocity and strategic alignment.
Transatlantic trust as strategic necessity in a competitive world order
The Chancellor emphasized the enduring importance of the transatlantic defense alliance as a foundational pillar of collective security within the contemporary international order. In this context, he observed that European states clearly recognize the centrality of the mutual trust upon which NATO is constructed, describing that confidence as both a political and strategic prerequisite for effective cooperation. He further contended that, in an era increasingly defined by intensified great-power competition and systemic rivalry, the United States would likewise continue to depend on this reciprocal trust as an indispensable element of alliance cohesion and operational effectiveness. In his assessment, even a superpower such as the United States would confront the outer limits of its capacities if it were to act unilaterally, underscoring the structural constraints inherent in solo strategic engagement. Although the address was delivered predominantly in German, the Chancellor deliberately repeated this particular passage in English, directing it explicitly toward the United States in order to sharpen and clarify its intended emphasis.
The Munich Security Conference, scheduled to continue through Sunday, is expected to convene more than 60 heads of state and government, along with over 100 foreign and defense ministers. Their participation underscores the conference’s enduring significance as a premier forum for high-level strategic dialogue and coordinated responses to contemporary security challenges.
