German chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz claims that Vladimir Putin is interested not only in occupying Ukraine but also part of Poland.
Four candidates for the German chancellorship faced off in the first televised debate on RTL. According to the leader of the German Christian Democrats (CDU), Merz, Putin has his sights on Europe.
“It’s not just about Ukraine. Greater Russia, which Putin dreams of, is also part of Poland, the Baltic countries. He is interested in the NATO area. We have to be prepared for that,” said Merz.
The leader of the poll-leading Christian Democrats announced that he would maintain and even strengthen support for Ukraine because Russia also threatens Germany.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that there will be no peace in Ukraine without Europe’s participation.
“This cannot be achieved without us. As Europe, we have provided more support than the United States. Germany alone has spent €44 billion, including on Ukrainian refugees, and €28 billion on weapons,” said the outgoing chancellor.
Europe responds to the USA
The last few days have clearly marked a new phase in U.S.-European relations. The Trump administration wants to talk to Russia, and it is unclear whether Ukraine will be invited to the table, something Volodymyr Zelensky strongly protests against. Vice President JD Vance delivered a barnstorming speech in Munich, accusing Western countries of violating democracy and abandoning basic values.
At the same time, the U.S. has made it clear that it will not defend countries that do not want to pay for their own security. The EU’s response is to be an extraordinary summit in Paris, convened by Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
In turn, U.S.-Russia talks are scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. There are reports that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov will take part in the talks.
