German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned Donald Trump at the opening of the Munich Security Conference that the United States acting unilaterally has reached its limits of power and may have lost its global leadership role.

Merkel also revealed that he had preliminary discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron on the possibility of joining France's nuclear umbrella, highlighting his call for a stronger and more autonomous security strategy in Europe.

In a speech on Friday aimed at setting a firm and reconciliatory tone for the future of the transatlantic partnership, Merz argued that the old order has ended, and in this new era of superpowers, even the United States has reached the limits of unilateral action.

Regarding those who warn that the rules-based international order is about to be destroyed, Merz said, "We probably have to speak more directly. This order was far from perfect even at its peak, and it no longer exists."

He then switched to English to emphasize his point: "In an era of great power competition, even the United States is not strong enough to act alone. Dear friends, being a member of NATO is not only a European advantage but also an American advantage."

"Let us jointly repair and revitalize transatlantic trust," he added.

The speech by the German chancellor opened the annual gathering of top global security figures, which included numerous European leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

At a meeting held a few weeks after Trump's second term began last year, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance shocked the audience by admonishing European leaders about the democratic situation and freedom of speech on the continent — a moment that set the tone for the past year.

Following this, the Trump administration issued a series of statements and actions targeting its allies, including Trump's recent threat to impose new tariffs on several European countries in an effort to gain control over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally.

When Merz directly criticized the current U.S. government, he received the most enthusiastic applause from the audience who were hostile to U.S. unilateralism: "The culture wars of the MAGA movement are not ours. When speech targets human dignity and fundamental laws, freedom of speech ends here for us. We do not trust tariffs and protectionism, but we believe in free trade. We abide by climate agreements and the World Health Organization."

"In the era of great powers, our freedom is no longer taken for granted. It is under threat," he said, adding, "it requires a firm will to defend this freedom." In challenging Trump's unilateral style, Merz added, "Authoritarian states may have followers, but democratic states have partners and allies."

Meanwhile, he emphasized that Europe must reduce its excessive dependence on the United States, stating, "We will not achieve this by denying NATO."

He also urged the U.S. president to recognize that it is still possible to weaken Russia militarily and economically, compelling it to return to the negotiating table on Ukraine issues.

As one of the countries with the largest increases in European defense spending, Merz clearly feels confident enough to demand that the U.S. listen more to Europe's concerns about its security and the ongoing legitimacy of the European pillar within NATO.

He described the Munich conference as the "seismograph" of U.S.-Europe relations, saying that the Ukraine conflict "has forced Europe back from a holiday in world history. We have entered an era once again marked by power and great-power politics."

These powers, Merz said, "set their own rules. They are fast, harsh, and often unpredictable. These powers use natural resources, technology, and supply chains as bargaining chips."

Merkel's speech came as the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine approached, as well as the one-year anniversary of Vance's criticism of Europe in the same hall for not adequately managing its defense arrangements and ignoring voters' demands.

Merkel responded that it was crucial for the European continent to change its mindset and fully tap into the "vast" military, political, economic, and technological potential of a "sovereign Europe." Germany is committed to achieving "leadership based on partnerships" in Europe, but without any "hegemonic fantasies."

Merkel said he had preliminary discussions with Macron on European nuclear deterrence. He emphasized that this must be firmly integrated into the NATO nuclear arsenal, and would not result in some parts of Europe having stronger defenses than others. The chancellor clearly stated that Germany would not abandon NATO, but hoped to establish "strong, self-sustaining pillars" within the alliance.

Macron, in his speech, insisted that Europe must participate in negotiations to reach a new arms control agreement with Russia, covering ballistic missiles, deep-strike capabilities, defense technologies, and nuclear weapons.

The French president pointed out that previous arms control treaties, such as the now-defunct Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, were negotiated solely by the United States. Such a situation cannot be repeated if Europe is to be taken seriously as a geopolitical force.

He mentioned that he had preliminary talks with Britain and Germany on a new European security architecture, but now is the time to expand the discussions across the entire continent.

Macron warned that a peaceful solution to Ukraine needs additional pressure, but even if a deal is reached, Europe still faces the challenge of how to "coexist with an aggressive, unrepentant Russia on our border," a Russia with "a bloated army and an exuberant defense industry."

He called for a transparent and independent European communication channel with Russia, stating that the post-war security architecture "was entirely designed and built during the Cold War" and needed a new expression.

In response to Vance's criticisms of Europe last year, Macron said: "Europe was slandered as a... repressive continent where alternative facts do not enjoy equal citizenship rights with truth — that outdated and cumbersome concept."

Original: toutiao.com/article/7606543326417830452/

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