Merz said the U.S. is no longer involved in Ukraine's defense — Bloomberg

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the United States is no longer involved in Ukraine’s defense and urged Europe not to underestimate the threats posed by Russia. According to him, Vladimir Putin seeks not only to defeat Ukraine but also to undermine democracy in Europe.

 

Merz also stated that Germany, together with other European and non-American allies, is funding Ukraine without Washington’s assistance in paying for defense and equipment.

“This is truly a heavy burden on our budgets; it is truly an important matter for the European Union,” he said.

“But we are doing this and will continue to do so until this terrible war ends,” he added.

The publication reports that European leaders are seeking ways to de-escalate the week-long conflict, in which U.S. President Donald Trump has effectively sided with Moscow.

After all, Washington is demanding that Ukraine stop striking Russian oil refineries, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Trump of trying to pressure Kyiv into surrendering to the Kremlin.

“I try to convince Donald Trump every time I meet with him that this should be in his own best interest,” Merz said.

According to him, a stable Europe as a global partner is something that is valuable to Americans as well.

Bloomberg notes that European leaders face the prospect of continuing to support Ukraine on their own, without American assistance.

Currently, they support sanctions against Moscow and insist that Kyiv must not cede any territory as part of a peace settlement.

But they also know that they will not be able to replace U.S. air defense and intelligence-sharing capabilities anytime soon, and a tense election season is about to begin in several capitals.

Source: Bloomberg

As a reminder, Merz warned Europe about Putin’s true goals.

We should add that Germany is tightening the rules for language exams for migrants, particularly Ukrainians.

In Germany, the number of Ukrainians in the workforce has reached about 400,000. Nearly 350,000 of them officially pay contributions to the social insurance system.