Newly-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends the first cabinet meeting, at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, attend a handover ceremony in the chancellery in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Leader of the Christian Democrats Friedrich Merz is congratulated by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz after being elected new chancellor at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Friedrich Merz reacts after he fell short of votes need to be chancellor in first round vote at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Friedrich Merz to visit Warsaw and Paris in first trip as German chancellor to stress European unity
BERLIN (AP) — Friedrich Merz made his world-affairs debut Wednesday as Germany’s new chancellor, with plans to immediately team up with allies France and Poland to present a united European front on support for Ukraine and against U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.
Newly-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends the first cabinet meeting, at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
By Stefanie Dazio And John Leicester The Associated Press
BERLIN (AP) — Friedrich Merz made his world-affairs debut Wednesday as Germany’s new chancellor, with plans to immediately team up with allies France and Poland to present a united European front on support for Ukraine and against U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.
The new pairing of Merz and — both firm believers in the European Union — could help stiffen resistance from the 27-nation bloc against pressure from Trump and against Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine.
With the EU’s largest economies and populations, the tandem of Germany and France has long underpinned the 27-nation bloc but lost some of its vigor in recent months as leaders in both countries wrestled with domestic issues.
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Merz and Macron are hoping to give the relationship fresh impetus at a crucial time, with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin both exerting pressure on the EU, forcing it to rethink its own security.
Merz’s trips come the day after in the first round of voting in the German parliament. No other postwar candidate for German chancellor has failed to win on the first ballot. He won in the second round.
Traditionally, newly elected German chancellors make a point of visiting their big neighbors in the west and east on the first day in office to stress European unity. The stops in Paris and Warsaw are happening on the unconditional surrender in World War II.
Merz is expected to hold news conferences with Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer have separately hosted summits of European leaders to discuss Ukraine and European security in the wake of __
Leicester reported from Paris. Associated Press Writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
