Merz: Russia Is My Biggest Concern

EASTORA REPORT | Germany has a struggling economy, a widening trade imbalance with China and an increasingly uncertain relationship with the United States. Friedrich Merz says none of them is what worries him most.

“My greatest concern at the moment is not our economy, it is not the European Union, it is not America, it is not China,” the German chancellor said Wednesday at the Berlin Global Dialogue.

“My greatest concern is Russia’s influence on our society and how successfully they are destabilizing our societies.”

For Merz, the threat no longer stops at Ukraine’s borders. He pointed to sabotage, disinformation and hybrid attacks as part of a Russian campaign aimed at weakening European countries from within.

His warning came as Germany’s military raised its assessment of the Russian sabotage threat to “significant,” its second-highest level, after a series of incidents involving drones and critical infrastructure.

German intelligence has linked suspected operations — including attempted attacks involving drones carrying explosives — to Russian military intelligence. Moscow denies involvement.

Merz argued that this is why the outcome in Ukraine cannot be separated from the security of the rest of Europe.

Germany and its allies, he said, remain ready for negotiations and do not support Kyiv in order to prolong the war.

But there is one outcome he says Europe cannot accept.

“Capitulation — let alone Ukraine’s unconditional capitulation — is out of the question,” Merz said.

“Because that would mean the capitulation of all of us.”