Friedrich Merz

Germany boosts Ukraine defense aid to €11.5bn in 2026 plan

Germany plans to increase military aid to Ukraine by €3 billion to €11.5 billion ($13.3 billion) in 2026, according to a Finance Ministry document submitted to the Bundestag's budget committee, the Welt newspaper reported on Nov. 11.

11 November 2025, 06:07 PM

Merz to propose using frozen Russian assets for €140B reparations to Ukraine at EU summit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he will propose at the upcoming European Union summit using frozen Russian assets in the West to provide Ukraine with a €140 billion ($152 billion) loan, Reuters reported on Oct. 16.

16 October 2025, 03:56 PM

Berlin moves to crush Russia’s hybrid war

Germany is finalizing a sweeping new action plan to defend against Russian hybrid warfare, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on Oct. 15, according to Spiegel.

16 October 2025, 02:16 PM

Merz accuses Putin of hybrid war against Germany, recounts clash with Orbán

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Russian dictator Vladimir Putin of waging a hybrid war against Germany and seeking to overturn Europe’s political order, while also recounting a sharp dispute with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, DW reported on Oct. 6 during Pinar Atalay’s talk show.

7 October 2025, 11:11 AM

Merz declares Germany no longer lives in peace amid rising infrastructure and cyberattacks

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said rising attacks on infrastructure and data networks mean Germany can no longer be considered at peace, speaking at the Schwarz Ecosystem Summit in Berlin, Handelsblatt reported on Sept. 27.

27 September 2025, 11:48 AM

Germany floats offering Ukraine $163 billion loan

The EU should offer Ukraine an interest-free loan of nearly EUR140 billion ($163 billion), to be repaid only after Russia agrees to war reparations, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote in an opinion piece for the Financial Times on Sept. 25.

25 September 2025, 08:40 PM

Drone attack on Poland exposes NATO airspace vulnerabilities — Merz

The recent Russian drone attack on Poland revealed a need to improve NATO’s air defense system in Europe, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, Politico reported on Sept. 10.

11 September 2025, 09:31 AM

Russia’s appetites extend far beyond Ukraine—Merz

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s “imperialist plan” includes subjugating swathes of Europe beyond Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sept. 8.

8 September 2025, 10:41 PM

Merz calls Putin ‘perhaps the greatest war criminal of our time,’ Kremlin responds

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has for the first time publicly called Russian dictator Vladimir Putin “perhaps the greatest war criminal of our time” and urged the world to show him no leniency. Merz made the remarks in an interview with broadcaster Sat.1, published on Sept. 2.

3 September 2025, 06:40 PM

Merz: Putin won’t talk peace until forced by economic pain

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin currently sees “no reason” to end the war in Ukraine, as he believes he has the upper hand on the frontlines and perceives favorable conditions for negotiations, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told television channel Sat.1 on Sep. 2.

3 September 2025, 10:27 AM

Putin and Zelenskyy remain unready for a leaders’ meeting despite ongoing talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he discussed ways to end the war in Ukraine with Vladimir Putin during talks in China and with Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone, but the sides are “not yet ready” for a leaders’ meeting, Reuters reported on Sept. 2.

2 September 2025, 05:00 PM

German Chancellor Merz suggests women could face conscription in Bundeswehr

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he does not rule out drafting women into the Bundeswehr in the long term, citing the growing threat from Russia, German outlet ZDFheute reported.

31 August 2025, 10:58 AM

Germany's Merz accuses Russia of destabilizing democracies

Russia attempts to destabilize Europe daily by attacking its infrastructure, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an interview with French television channel LCI on Aug. 29.

30 August 2025, 12:03 PM

Kremlin responds to Merz’s remarks: Putin still open to talks with Zelenskyy

Russia remains interested in negotiations between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz dismissing the possibility of such a meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed on Aug. 29 during a briefing.

29 August 2025, 03:24 PM

Despite promises to Trump, Putin will not meet with Zelenskyy—Germany’s Merz

Despite the agreement struck between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump last week, Putin will not meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Aug. 28.

28 August 2025, 10:34 PM

Merz accuses Putin of stalling talks on Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Russian dictator Vladimir Putin of dragging out efforts to reach a peaceful settlement to the war in Ukraine, Tagesschau reported on Aug. 26.

26 August 2025, 07:41 PM

Merz weighs Ursula von der Leyen as German president candidate

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz may put forward European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as a candidate for Germany’s presidency in the 2027 election, Spiegel reported Aug. 25, citing sources.

25 August 2025, 07:45 PM

European leaders deliver Independence Day wishes to Ukraine in Ukrainian – video

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz congratulated Ukraine on its Independence Day in Ukrainian. Their greetings were posted on their official X accounts on Aug. 24.

24 August 2025, 01:50 PM

Putin may meet Zelenskyy to provoke Ukraine out of peace talks – expert

Vladimir Putin could meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to try to provoke Ukraine’s exit from the negotiation process, Political analyst and journalist Maksym Nesvitaylov suggested on Radio NV on Aug. 20..

20 August 2025, 06:39 PM

Russia 'not rejecting' talks, Putin never sought to seize territory – Sergey Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Moscow is reportedly not ruling out any form of negotiations to resolve its war against Ukraine, including bilateral or trilateral talks, Russian media reported on Aug. 19.

19 August 2025, 03:38 PM

Friedrich Merz

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