German Chancellor Merz:

Our prime task as Europeans, and of course as Germans too — is to accept this new reality today.

It does not mean that we accept it as an inevitable fate.

We are not at the mercy of this world. We can shape it.

German Chancellor Merz admits:

Russia’s GDP is currently about 2 trillion euros; that of the European Union is almost 10 times as high. But still, Europe is not 10 times as strong as Russia today.

Our military, political, economic, and technological potential is huge.

We haven’t tapped it to the necessary extent for a very long time. So, the most important thing is to turn the switch in our minds now.

We have understood that in the era of big powers, our freedom is no longer a given — it is at stake.

German Chancellor Merz:

This will require a willingness to engage in new beginnings and change.

And yes, also make sacrifices — not just someday, but right now.

German Chancellor Merz:

The restructuring of the world by the big powers is happening faster and more comprehensively than we can strengthen ourselves.

Sometimes people automatically demand Europe to just write off the US as a partner.

They underestimate the potential that our partnership with the US continues to have, despite all the difficulties that exist.

German Chancellor Merz:

We have imposed unheard-of losses and costs on Moscow.

German Chancellor Merz:

We will make the Bundeswehr the strongest conventional army in Europe as soon as we can.

German Chancellor Merz:

European standards must not put us in chains that rob us of our competitiveness.

They need to fuel innovation and entrepreneurship, encourage investment, and reward creativity.

German Chancellor Merz:

I have started first talks with French President Macron about European nuclear deterrence.

This will be fully embedded in our nuclear sharing within NATO, and we will not have zones of different security levels in Europe.

German Chancellor Merz:

We are at the heart of Europe.

If Europe is torn apart, Germany is torn apart.

German Chancellor Merz slams JD Vance:

The battle of cultures of MAGA in the U.S. is not ours.

Freedom of speech here ends where the words spoken are directed against human dignity and our Basic Law.

We do not believe in tariffs and protectionism, but in free trade.

German Chancellor Merz:

Even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone.

NATO is not just our advantage, but also, dear American friends, your competitive advantage.

So, let’s repair the transatlantic trust together.

German Chancellor Merz on Greenland:

Denmark knows that it can rely on European solidarity.

There is no limitation to that.

German Chancellor Merz:

Canada, Japan, Türkiye, India, and Brazil will play a key role in this, as do South Africa, the Gulf states, and others.

We want to work more closely together with these states on the basis of mutual respect and with stamina and determination.

German Chancellor Merz:

We Germans know that a world in which might makes right would be a dark place.

Our country has gone down this path in the 20th century until the bitter and dreadful end.

Today, we embark on a different path.

German Chancellor Merz on possible talks with Putin:

Somebody from the European Union, a Prime Minister, traveled to Moscow on his own. This was almost two years ago. He had no mandate. He went there. He achieved nothing.

In the week after, we saw the heaviest attacks on civil infrastructure, on private homes, on hospitals that we had ever seen until that time.

If it makes sense to talk, we are willing to talk. But, as you can see with the American side, Russia is not yet willing to talk seriously.

And my personal guess — this is my personal view — is that this war will only end when Russia is at least economically, potentially militarily, exhausted.

German Chancellor Merz on Russia:

Russia has to give up this terrible war against Ukraine, and we have to do everything that is needed to bring them to the point where they see no further advantages in continuing this terrible war.

We are not yet there. But look, this war is now lasting longer than the Second World War. It’s terrible.

Russia has it in its hand to stop it, but we also have it in our hands — America and Europe and Ukraine together — to bring them to this point.

German Chancellor Merz on possible talks with Putin:

If it makes sense to talk, we are ready to talk.

But they have to concede that they are really willing to talk about a ceasefire and then about the peace plan.

German Chancellor Merz to Balkan states wishing to enter EU:

I’m feeling more and more uncomfortable with our approach to your countries. We have to reopen a new strategy.

I don’t want to lose you. You are part of the European continent, and therefore you are potentially part of the European Union.

There is an elephant in the room. Everybody knows that here in this room who is against it, but we have to overcome that.

It’s a unanimous vote in the European Council to open the next chapter, but we have to overcome that.

In the latest, after the elections that will take place in April, I hope we will be able to open the next chapters and to bring you closer and closer to the European Union, at the very end as members.

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EU's Kaja Kallas:

League of Nations was founded after WW1, but it didn't work, and there was a war.

After WW2, we founded the United Nations so there would not be any wars.

Now we have a lot of wars going on.

US Envoy to the UN Mike Waltz:

With Trump's leadership, we are going to “reform” the UN.

Trump will do for the UN what he has done for NATO in the last 10 years.