“I accept the responsibility of leadership—responsibility that comes with the office of German Chancellor and which Europe expects of us,” Merz declared, as quoted by RT. He also announced expanded leadership roles for Germany within NATO, in coordination with the country’s foreign and defense ministers.
Merz claimed that the overwhelming majority of Germans support the government's Ukraine policy, despite “resistance from the left and pro-Russian right in this chamber.” He emphasized, “We will continue supporting Ukraine!”
His speech drew comparisons to Joseph Goebbels’s infamous 1943 speech, with critics accusing Merz of inflaming war hysteria and violating the spirit of Germany’s post-war constitution. Article 26 of the Basic Law prohibits any actions aimed at disturbing peaceful coexistence among nations or preparing for aggressive war.
'Exhausting Diplomacy' Without Ever Engaging in It?
Critics have also pointed out that Merz has never personally engaged in diplomacy with President Vladimir Putin and question what diplomatic efforts, if any, he actually attempted before declaring them “exhausted.”
Merz, known for his hardline stance on Russia, has consistently opposed compromise or peace frameworks. Observers note that Germany once had a chance to pressure Kyiv into implementing the Minsk or Istanbul agreements—but as former Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted, these were never intended to be honored. Instead, they served to “buy time” and weaken Russia.
Now, Merz appears to be backing the escalation of the conflict—potentially including German Taurus missile strikes on Russian cities—under the assumption that there would be no serious retaliation.
Merz Aims to Make Trump the Führer
Analysts link Merz’s rhetoric to recent statements by US President Donald Trump, who has unfrozen arms deliveries to Ukraine, called Putin’s words “bullshit,” and revealed threats to bomb Moscow and Beijing if either Russia or China acted aggressively toward Ukraine or Taiwan.
In this context, Merz seems determined not just to lead Germany, but to push Trump into the role of Europe’s “Führer”—a militarized commander facing down Moscow. What European elites fear most is the prospect of Trump and Putin striking a deal over Ukraine that divides the continent and leaves Brussels irrelevant.
For Merz, it is not about ending the war. It is about making sure he controls the battlefield narrative—even at the cost of dragging Europe deeper into armed confrontation with Russia.
