Germany’s new Chancellor from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, in an interview published in the newspaper Die Zeit on May 15, 2025, evaluated his first week in office and delivered important messages on domestic and foreign policy.

Merz stated that his election as chancellor in the second round did not pose a problem for his actions, saying, “The coalition has a stable parliamentary majority.”

Making a swift start to his chancellorship, Merz first visited Paris and Warsaw.

The new Chancellor announced that he had a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump.

Merz reported that Trump congratulated him and invited him to the White House. When Trump mentioned that his family came from Kallstadt, near Bad Dürkheim, Merz said he responded, “I also served in an artillery unit near there. I invite you,” and noted that Trump found this idea wonderful.

Stating that the Ukraine issue was also discussed, Merz conveyed that he told Trump he would be going to Kyiv the next day with French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and that they should try to remain together within the transatlantic alliance and do everything jointly.

Merz indicated that Trump gave him assurances on this matter. To a question about Trump’s call for the Ukrainian President to negotiate and the short half-life of his words, Merz replied, “There are different negotiating styles in international politics, and I can handle them well.”

Merz added, “We are currently experiencing an awakening of Europe. We are doing this for ourselves, not against a third party.”

Recalling Angela Merkel’s 2017 statement in Munich, “We must take our destiny into our own hands,” Merz noted that there had been no significant developments following those words for a long time.

‘We don’t need a lesson on democracy’

Addressing US President Trump’s aide J.D. Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference, Merz commented, “Of course, we are not heading towards a ‘tyranny’ as we hear from the US. We really need to reject such statements. Germany was liberated from tyranny by the US; Germany today is stable, liberal, and democratic. We don’t need a lesson on democracy. Therefore, Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference was perceived by many, including myself, as overstepping.”

Merz stated he believes President Trump, like everyone else, wants an end to the deaths in Ukraine and senses that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of this.

Merz also expressed that Trump would consider the China/Taiwan conflict in this dispute and would ask himself what it would mean if Putin were to succeed in Europe.

Regarding sanctions that would come into play if Russia rejects a ceasefire demand, Merz said, “We agree among heads of state and government that we must use all possibilities to the fullest. We are talking about further sanctions in the energy sector, in banking, as well as sanctions on assets and individuals. We are currently working on this with our European partners.”

Concerning the possibility of confiscating Russia’s frozen assets, he stated, “We are currently examining this. If there is a possibility to mobilize the money on a clean legal basis, we will do it. However, we must also be aware of the risks such a step entails for the European financial market.”

Merz also emphasized that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline currently has no operating permit and this will not change.

Regarding a possible meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Merz said, “I am in close contact with Zelensky and European and American partners. We are also talking with the Turkish side. I am not certain whether Putin will demonstrate the courage to come to Istanbul and endorse the ceasefire. But from this weekend onwards, no one can accuse us of not making enough diplomatic efforts to end this war.”

‘We no longer want to conduct arms debates in public’

Merz, who as opposition leader threatened to supply Taurus missiles if the bombardment of civilian facilities did not stop and criticized former Chancellor Olaf Scholz for not doing so, explained why he no longer wants to speak publicly about individual weapon systems:

“I agree with the Defense Minister and Deputy Chancellor that we no longer want to conduct arms debates in public. This is not about not wanting to inform the German public. On the contrary, with these discussions, we are only playing into Putin’s hands and giving him valuable information. We will keep our promises and provide the necessary military support.”

Merz added that the previous government forced them into this debate by discussing the matter publicly.

To a question about Berlin’s role in providing peace guarantees to Ukraine, Merz responded, “I want us to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine together with European partners and for Europe not to assume a special role. The long-term strengthening of the Ukrainian armed forces will play a key role here.”

Stating that he will visit the German brigade in Lithuania next week, Merz said, “We are part of European and NATO efforts, we are strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and thus also protecting Ukraine.”

Touching on domestic policy, Chancellor Merz pointed to the importance of migration policy. Regarding possible disputes with neighboring countries like Poland, he said, “Many countries, such as Austria or France, have long been taking similar measures. The government in Warsaw recently suspended European asylum law for Poland. The situation for Poland is particularly critical because the country is also a victim of hybrid warfare through migration flows from Belarus and Russia. I have explicitly offered to help protect Poland’s borders, which are also our external borders.”

Emphasizing that the individuals to be deported are not those who have been in Germany for years, but those who should have applied for asylum in another EU country, Merz stated, “We need to regain control over who comes to Europe; I agree with my European colleagues on this.”

To a question about many ministers in the government, including himself, being inexperienced, Merz replied, “We are making new policy. That’s right. We all have sufficient experience—political, entrepreneurial, and life experience. We also have a well-functioning government apparatus and working structures. What could be risky about that?”

‘If Europe does well, Germany does well’

Addressing economic policies, Merz stated that the defense industry and the health sector should be seen not as a burden, but as an opportunity.

“If we want to strengthen our defense capability, for example, we must gradually and rapidly reduce our dependence on the US. It is unacceptable that two-thirds of our money constantly flows to American defense companies. This added value needs to return to us more strongly; not just to Germany, but to Europe,” he said.

Stating that the health sector is the fastest-growing sector, Merz said it was a big mistake for firms like BioNTech and CureVac to go to the New York Stock Exchange.

The Chancellor added, “The state should have been active. I will ensure that such companies can stay and grow in Germany.”

To the question of whether he would say “Germany first” in the event of a conflict of interest at the European level, Merz replied, “No, my decision criterion will be efficiency and the necessary added value. Who is better? We are also in competition within Europe. The French can probably build better aircraft than us. But we can definitely build better tanks than the French. I am primarily committed to German interests, but German interests largely overlap with European interests. If Europe does well, Germany does well.”

‘We must reach pragmatic solutions in parliament’

Stating that they will govern strongly and successfully to strengthen democracy, Merz described the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Left Party as “anti-system.”

Acknowledging that the AfD could not be diminished in the last eight years, Merz said, “Let’s stop constantly looking at the AfD. Let’s focus on doing our own job properly.”

Regarding the support he received from the Greens and the Left Party in the second round, he stated, “First of all, we must respect that the voters elected this parliament on February 23, 2025. These are all democratically legitimized members of parliament. And we must reach pragmatic solutions in parliament.”

Emphasizing that the CDU’s party decision rejecting cooperation with both the Left Party and the AfD remains valid, Merz said he was unhappy with the process of classifying the AfD as extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and would await the assessment of the Interior Ministry. He also added that he has always been skeptical about banning political parties.

To the question of whether he sees himself as “Landesvater” (father of the nation) as Chancellor, Merz replied, “Landesvater; it sounds reassuring, but it also contains a bit of clumsiness. This is not my vision. This federal government works for all 84 million people in the Federal Republic of Germany, that is my message. I will not leave my political views in the Chancellery cloakroom. But I am primarily not the CDU Chairman who occasionally stops by the Chancellery, but rather the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany who also occasionally stops by party headquarters.”