First of all, Europe seems a bit caught off guard by the hardening of the international context. What can be said about it?
Donald Trump, along with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, is reviving the division of the world into zones of influence, with the United States having ambitions on the Western sphere, which explains the American intervention in Venezuela, plans to annex Greenland, and threats to make Canada the 51st American state. Europe, champion of a multilateral order, is struggling to adapt to this return of realpolitik.
The motto of this year’s Munich Security Conference – “On the verge of destruction” – accurately describes this erosion of the international system. At the same time, it is also an opportunity to bring forth new ideas and initiatives. For example, at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, stated: “Geopolitical shocks can and should be an opportunity for Europe.”
You mentioned Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark. What was Chancellor Merz’s reaction to Donald Trump’s statements about annexing this Arctic territory?
Germany was among the EU member states, along with Norway and the UK, that sent military personnel to Greenland in January of this year as part of a “reconnaissance mission” under Denmark’s leadership, while tensions with the United States were at their peak.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Denmark could “count on European solidarity without reservation.” He emphasized that NATO’s European partners needed to do more to ensure security in the Arctic region, as it is a common transatlantic interest. However, like other participants in the “reconnaissance mission,” Germany was threatened with the imposition of American tariffs. But these threats were ultimately not carried out.
On other subjects of international tension, Friedrich Merz has been criticized for a selective application of international law. Could you elaborate on this?
Indeed, Laurence. Friedrich Merz was evasive regarding the capture of Nicolas Maduro and its compliance with international law, simply stating that the legal situation was “complex.” Similarly, the German chancellor made headlines in June 2025 by stating that Israel and the US were doing the “dirty work” for the West. In other words, “the end justifies the means.”
In March 2026, shortly after the start of the US and Israel’s attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the chancellor told the press that he did not intend to “cut ties” with Donald Trump regarding international law, citing a dilemma due to nuclear issues and the oppression of the Iranian regime. It is worth noting that the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, considered the attacks a violation of international law.
Tensions seem to be rising between Germany and the United States.
Indeed, Laurence. Friedrich Merz made unfortunate comments during a visit to a school in Sauerland while speaking with students, suggesting that the US clearly had no exit strategy regarding the intervention in Iran and that the American nation was being humiliated by Iran.
In response, the American president announced the withdrawal of 5,000 American soldiers stationed in Germany, along with additional announcements of a 25% tariff on cars from the EU. German-American tensions are particularly palpable. Joschka Fischer, the former German foreign minister under the Schröder government, recently penned an article in Le Monde discussing a “post-American future for Europe,” stating that “the dissolution of NATO has already begun.”
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