German Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to team up with Poland, France on support for Ukraine, against Trump’s tariff  

Friedrich Merz has made his world-affairs debut as Germany’s new Chancellor

Friedrich Merz made his world-affairs debut on Wednesday (May 5, 2025) 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 Mr. Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron — both firm believers in the European Union (EU) — could help stiffen resistance from the 27-nation bloc against pressure from Mr. Trump and against Russia’s ongoing 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.

Mr. Merz and Mr. Macron are hoping to give the relationship fresh impetus at a crucial time, with Mr. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin both exerting pressure on the EU, forcing it to rethink its own security.

Mr. Merz's trips come the day after his historic defeat 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 neighbours in the west and east on the first day in office to stress European unity. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said this week that Mr. Merz and Mr. Macron want their meeting to refire what he described as “the French-German motor.”

The French Minister said that he expects the relationship between Paris and Berlin will be simpler under Mr. Merz than it was under his predecessor. In particular, France is looking for German backing for increased EU defense spending in the face of the perceived threat to European security by Russia and concerns that Mr. Trump is pivoting away from its post-World War II trans-Atlantic relationship with Europe to focus resources on countering China.