Friedrich Merz calls to transform EU into European defense union
4 Min Read
As global power shifts accelerate, Friedrich Merz urges bold EU reforms to build a unified European defense union capable of confronting modern threats.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a commemoration at the German parliament Bundestag in occasion of Remembrance Day in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, November 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday called for the European Union to be transformed into a European defense union in light of rising global instability. Speaking at a business summit hosted by the Süddeutsche Zeitung daily, Merz emphasized the need for Europe to take new steps in response to ongoing conflicts, geopolitical shifts, and growing threats to security.
"We can no longer rely on the US to defend us, on China to supply us with raw materials, or on Russia to eventually return to the path of peace. The world is changing, and Europe must respond," Merz said. “It’s a necessity to transform this European Union into a European defense union. We face international challenges that we as Europeans must address together – with the ability to defend ourselves."
Merz stressed that Germany, as the most populous and economically powerful member of the European Union, must play a leading role in building this new defense structure.
"We bear a far greater responsibility than anyone else to assume leadership within this EU. But that remains an empty phrase if it is not filled with substance," he said.
His remarks reflect growing concerns across Europe about the continent’s ability to defend itself amid reduced reliance on external powers.
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Rifts with Russia, China, and the US
Merz identified Russia as the biggest threat to Europe, stating that Moscow's ambitions extend far beyond Ukraine. He pointed to hybrid warfare methods, including drone incursions and cyberattacks on European businesses and infrastructure.
“This threat to Ukraine isn't just a territorial threat to a European country. It's a constant threat to our democracies, our freedoms, our way of life and work,” he said.
Turning to the United States, Merz highlighted the deterioration of transatlantic relations under US President Donald Trump, particularly due to his administration's unilateral decisions and trade measures.
"The tariff dispute with the US is far more than a trade disagreement. It has opened a deep rift across the Atlantic, calling into question much – indeed almost everything – that we have considered right and necessary in transatlantic relations over the past decades," he said.
Merz also raised alarm over geopolitical developments in Southeast Asia, saying, "China is becoming inwardly more repressive, outwardly more aggressive,” framing China as a growing concern for Europe.
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A new global order demands European unity
In his concluding remarks, Merz said the world is witnessing the collapse of the postwar international order and the emergence of a new one, urging the European Union to assert itself as a unified actor.
"We are experiencing such a fundamental shift in global political and economic power that we must decide whether we want to remain passive objects or become active participants in shaping the future political order," Merz said. "We don't yet know what it will look like in a few years. But we know with considerable certainty that the order we in the West have experienced over the last 80 years has now come to an end."
He reaffirmed his belief that the EU must deepen cooperation not just among its members but also with strategic partners like the UK, Turkey, and Norway.
"If we want to shape this new world order, then that can only be done in Europe, only together with our European neighbors," he said.
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