Edit“Russia tests us every day”: Merz announces major change in NATO
Germany will double its defence spending to reach the Hague target of allocating 5% of GDP to defence well ahead of schedule
Germany will double its defence spending to reach the Hague target of allocating 5% of GDP to defence well ahead of schedule. Over the Bosporus, as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz put it, a new “spirit of Ankara” has been born – an Alliance that is more European than ever before, yet, as the Chancellor assured, still firmly anchored in the transatlantic bond.
Doubling defence spending to the level of 5% of GDP, achieved “decisively ahead of time,” is not, according to Friedrich Merz, a gesture toward anyone, but an action stemming from Germany’s national interest.
“We are not doing this to do someone a favor, but to strengthen our own security. We are doing this because it is necessary in our own interest,” the Chancellor emphasized.
As the main reason, he pointed to Russia, which “tests our resolve every day through cyberattacks, sabotage, espionage attempts, and targeted disinformation.”
In this context, Merz stressed the importance of a renewed, unequivocal commitment by all allies to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
“I can say today that this work is paying off,” he noted, adding that NATO remains “one great benefit” for both Europe and Canada and the United States.
The Chancellor pointed out that President Donald Trump participated in the deliberations the entire time, without exception. He stayed in the meeting room and listened attentively even to representatives of smaller member states. In his concluding speech, Trump stated: “You can feel the love in the air.”
A more European NATO to remain transatlantic
Merz built the narrative on Europe’s security strategy around the “spirit of Ankara,” which enabled the creation of a “new quality” in relations within the Alliance.
“NATO is, as of today, more European than ever before, and yet it remains firmly anchored transatlantically, remains extremely strong, and above all remains united,” he stated.
“We are building a more European NATO so that NATO can remain transatlantic,” he added.
As Europeans, the Chancellor explained, the allies are taking on more responsibility, making the Alliance both stronger and fairer in the division of burdens, while freeing themselves from one-sided dependencies.
This logic is also to cover the defence industry, in the area of strategic weapons, long-range missiles, air defence, and artificial intelligence. Its foundation is to be the European declaration signed in Ankara to accelerate work on long-range weapons, both in the European and transatlantic dimensions.
The British announced the formation of a group of a dozen or so countries ready to invest $50 billion over the next two years in the development of Tomahawk missile production.
“We see a capability gap and we will close it as quickly as possible. Intensive talks on this are underway, but they have not yet been concluded,” the Chancellor summarized.
Merz also announced the creation of integrated naval forces, including 24 submarines, harmonized training, and joint technical maintenance.
“This is truly a magnificent undertaking, an expression of strategic cooperation that we plan for decades across the entire North Atlantic area,” Merz stated.
The background to the announcement was the signing by Canada and Norway of a contract for the purchase of Type 212CD submarines at the German shipyard ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).
The path to the negotiating table
However, the issue of the growing threat from Russia has become the key unifying element of European voices in the Alliance, particularly in the context of support for Kyiv. As the Chancellor emphasized, under a German initiative, the allies have committed to providing Ukraine with €70 billion from European funds in 2026 and 2027. Details of the package are to be discussed on Monday (13 July) in Paris.
“Ukraine is defending not only its own freedom against Russian aggression, but at the same time ours,” Merz stated, adding that this message should “make the Kremlin realize that Russia will not achieve its war goals and that the time has come to sit down at the negotiating table.”
The Chancellor also referred to his conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in which he emphasized that everyone – including Turkey – should make every possible effort to end the war in Ukraine, which burdens European societies “not only economically, but also socio-politically.”
He simultaneously announced that after the end of the war, support for Ukraine “will be transformed into economic cooperation,” which will allow for greater economic opportunities to be regained, while noting that “defence efforts will have to be maintained permanently, regardless of the fate of the war.”
Bundestag and domestic criticism
The federal government is allocating €70 billion for defence this year. However, these expenditures have met with critical voices from the opposition, according to which saving on parental allowance (Elterngeld) or statutory health insurance while simultaneously increasing spending on Ukraine and defence is not the right direction.
“It is about defending our freedom, peace on the European continent, and the prosperity we have built for ourselves,” he stated, while emphasizing that “many of us, myself included, have not yet fully internalized how threatened what Europe considered obvious is after 80 years of peace.”
He added that “the best welfare state is worth nothing if people cannot live in peace and freedom,” and setting priorities means that certain things are now “particularly important, and other things must give way to them” – he summarized.
The original article in Polish by EUalive’s partner FocusEurope.pl can be found here.
Caption: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during a session of the German parliament ‘Bundestag’ to deliver a government statement, in Berlin, Germany, 09 July 2026. Merz delivered a government statement on the NATO Summit in Ankara and the upcoming reforms in Germany agreed upon by the coalition leaders. EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE
Updated: July 10, 2026 - 08:47
