German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opened his speech at the Munich Security Conference, describing the event as a “seismograph” of global political developments and recalling his years of participation to strengthen transatlantic relations with the United States.
Merz emphasized that recent years have been marked by rising tensions and conflicts, particularly Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. He argued that the conference’s motto, “under destruction,” understates the current reality, noting that “the world order as we knew it no longer exists.”
According to the Chancellor, Europe “has returned from a hiatus in history,” and the world is entering an era dominated by great power politics. He cited Russia’s violent revisionism as the cause of the war in Ukraine and added that China seeks to shape the world order in its favor, exploiting the economic dependencies of other countries.
Merz also stated that the United States’ claim to global leadership is being challenged and perhaps weakened. He argued that great power politics reflect societies in turmoil during revolutionary change and warned that this situation tests the limits of democratic systems, pushing people toward “strong and simplistic responses.”
Finally, Merz stressed the importance of resources, technology, and supply chains in the emerging global order and called on Europeans to accept the new reality and confront it while defending their values.
