Potential next German chancellor Merz raises concerns about NATO’s future structure

Germany’s prospective next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, raised concerns on Sunday regarding the future of NATO, questioning whether it would continue in its “current form” by June, particularly in light of statements from U.S. President Donald Trump‘s administration. He emphasized the urgent need for Europe to develop an independent defense capability.

“I never anticipated that I would have to express such sentiments on a television program, but following Donald Trump’s comments last week, it is evident that this administration is not particularly invested in Europe’s future,” Merz stated during an interview with German public broadcaster ARD, following his party’s victory in the national elections.

Recently, the Trump administration surprised European allies by urging them to take greater responsibility for their own security and to reduce their dependence on the United States. This announcement coincided with discussions about negotiating with Russia to resolve the conflict in Ukraine without European involvement. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth cautioned that “stark strategic realities” would limit the U.S. focus on European security.

With a NATO summit approaching in June, Merz expressed his curiosity about whether NATO would still be discussed in its existing format or if there would be a pressing need to establish a more autonomous European defense capability.

In response to Merz’s comments, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp remarked, “This indicates we are entering a new era.” He noted that the period that began with the fall of the Berlin Wall has now concluded, urging Europeans to maintain “realistic expectations” regarding their relationship with the United States.

On Friday, Merz conveyed to public broadcaster ZDF that Germany must prepare for the possibility that Trump may not fully uphold NATO’s mutual defense commitments. He suggested that this could necessitate Berlin reducing its reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and proposed initiating discussions with France and Britain about enhancing their nuclear protection for Europe.

Merz, who aligns with transatlantic interests, has adopted a more aggressive stance towards Russia compared to the departing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a member of the Social Democratic Party. He has proposed the potential transfer of medium-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv, a move that Scholz has previously resisted.