Friedrich Merz warns US ‘not strong enough’ to axe European alliances in Munich speech

Published February 13, 2026 10:43am ET



German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a revival of the U.S.-European relationship, warning Washington against going solo on the world stage.

“In the era of great power rivalry, even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone,” the German leader said in a speech to NATO members during the high-profile Munich Security Conference.

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