Merz the international diplomat?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz succeeded in showing a united European front on the war in Ukraine. But is he as popular at home as abroad?
Dear Reader,
Following the Alaska “peace summit” last Friday, where US President Donald Trump literally rolled out a red carpet for Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz did not waste any words… or time.
“We would all like to see a ceasefire,” Merz said in response to the first meeting between a western leader and the Russian autocrat since he invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago. The chancellor was referring to Europe’s long-standing demand that the guns fall silent before the warring parties meet to thrash out the details of a peace agreement. That demand had been dropped by Trump during the summit, a move that was widely interpreted as caving in to the Kremlin’s position.
Merz cut short his holiday plans and helped rally the Koalition der Willigen (coalition of the willing) with top EU leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Together, they arranged to meet Trump in Washington on Monday — the fastest organised American-European delegation since the Iraq war.
With no government aircraft available on such short notice, Merz flew from Munich to Washington in a small Airbus A319 - a move that necessitated a pit stop in Glasgow. His mission: align Europe, Ukraine, and the US, while keeping Trump from drifting too far into Moscow’s orbit.
High stakes without high tensions
During his inaugural visit to the White House in June, the newly-minted Chancellor pulled off a pleasant visit with Trump, but was criticised by the German press afterwards for placating the president without making enough progress.
At the time, Merz stressed that Trump has a key role to play in ending the war, but fell short of making specific demands of the famously prickly US president. Adhering to the president’s love of praise and presents, he even brought along a gold-framed facsimile of his grandfather Friedrich Trump's German birth certificate.
This visit was different. While Merz also indulged in the flattery that has become typical of meetings between European leaders and Trump, he was also the first to lay out a clear demand.
"I can't imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire," Merz said, openly contradicting Trump, who had argued that Putin and Zelensky could meet without a ceasefire being agreed.
"So, let's work on that and let's try to put pressure on Russia," Merz added.
He also argued that it was unrealistic to expect Zelensky to negotiate directly with Putin — a move supported by both Trump and some EU leaders — while civilians were still being killed by Russian attacks.
Asked if Germany might send peacekeepers to Ukraine, Merz said he was open to it if a ceasefire were in place, but first wanted to consult with European partners and his coalition government. He added that even with a peace deal, Germany would continue providing military aid to Ukraine.
What did Merz achieve?
The Chancellor managed to play a leading role in the group of European leaders — “We were well prepared and well coordinated,” he told reporters after the meeting — while departing Washington on a cordial note. Trump even called him a “very strong person,” before adding what, for the president, might be the highest compliment of them all. “Where did you get that tan? I want that tan,” he said of the chancellor’s summer skin tone.
The push for a ceasefire continued on Tuesday, with the European leaders opting for terms like “truce” and “stop the killing” that could potentially land better with Trump.
The domestic coverage of Merz’ diplomatic efforts in Washington was generally positive. Newspapers like FAZ and the Süddeutsche Zeitung described him approvingly as a “bridge-builder.” Merz pulled off sending “a sign of strength to Moscow,” wrote Der Spiegel following the meeting, “even if he is taking a risk domestically to do so.”
The balancing act Der Spiegel was referring to is a fragile one. On one hand, Merz wants to build up Germany’s credibility as the central broker of European consensus. On the other, he faces growing domestic concern over the costs of the war and Germany’s soaring defence budget — 649 billion euros planned between now and 2029, more than double current levels.
Polls show rising support for parties sceptical of prolonging the war, such as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) - now the second most popular party in the country - and the far-left Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), which currently has a seat in the coalition government of two eastern German states. Both argue that money spent on Ukraine should be redirected to domestic needs and that aid for Ukrainian refugees is too high.
After the Alaska summit, BSW leader Wagenknecht even sided with Putin, arguing that it is “unrealistic” for Russia to give back the Ukrainian territory it has seized and that it should be allowed to keep it to end the war - a position that overlooks the wider implications that such a deal would have for the sanctity of international borders.
But criticism has even come from Merz’ own party, the much more moderate centre-right CDU. “Thanks to Friedrich Merz, Germany has returned to the Champions League of foreign policy within 100 days,” said Dennis Radtke, chairman of the CDU’s Christian Democratic Workers’ Association (CDA) to Funke Mediengruppe. But he added that the chancellor’s focus on international affairs meant that too many domestic policy issues like reforming the Stromsteuer (electricity tax) and judicial appointments were being overlooked.
Useful links:
Result of our last poll: Was Merz right to restrict weapons deliveries to Israel?
Yes - 60%
No - 40%
News in Brief
Deutsche Bahn boss ousted early — From delayed trains to crumbling infrastructure, Germany’s national rail provider, Deutsche Bahn, has made headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent years. Now, DB chief Richard Lutz is paying the price. Lutz, who has led the 100% state-owned company for seven years and was due to stay on until 2027, is being forced out early. The train drivers’ union GDL, which staged multiple strikes against the company, called the move “a necessary consequence of years of mismanagement.” Lutz will remain in place until the Transport Ministry names a successor, and parts of his renovation plan are still being implemented. For example, the crucial Berlin–Hamburg line will stay closed for at least eight more months as repairs and upgrades continue.
Higher taxes for the wealthy? — To fill a projected €30 billion gap in Germany’s 2027 budget, Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) has said he’s open to raising taxes on top earners and the wealthy — a move strongly opposed by the CDU/CSU. “People with high incomes should ask themselves: what are we doing to make this country fairer?” Klingbeil told broadcaster ZDF on Sunday. He also criticized proposals from CSU leader Markus Söder — such as cutting VAT for restaurants and subsidies for agricultural diesel — arguing they helped create the budget shortfall in the first place.
Slightly more apartments are being built — In the first half of 2025, authorities approved 110,000 new apartments in Germany, up 2.9% from the same period last year, according to new data from the Federal Statistical Office. June was particularly strong, with approvals rising 7.9%.
Amid an affordable housing crisis, Germany’s new coalition government has pledged to simplify permitting and speed up projects. If reforms take hold, construction numbers could continue to climb in the coming years.
Members’ corner
How Trump's tariffs could force Germany out of its comfort zone
Whether they realise it or not, most people in the US have a little bit of Germany in their lives. They don’t need to sport Adidas sneakers or snack incessantly on those addictive Haribo Goldbears. Rather, they rely on a range of products that power everyday items, be it their cars or dishwashers.
Not a man nor a mouse survived – thrilling, don’t you think?
What ta squabble over the SPD pick for a constitutional judge has to do with a classic 1980s war film.
Sincerely,
Rachel Stern