Germany’s Merz offers hope for Ukraine amid the Trump nightmare

If the coalition needs more support during parliamentary votes, Merz may turn to the Greens, whose most prominent figure Robert Habeck is among the most hawkish on defense spending and support for Ukraine. 

‘Imperialism at its worst’

“Americans are not just leaving Europe alone, but are working against Europe,” Habeck said on Sunday, after the polls closed. “They are letting Ukraine down. I would say they are betraying it. This is imperialism at its worst.” He urged Europe to unite and agree to financing solutions quickly, warning Germany must not take long to form a new government.

If the senior team in the next coalition includes Merz and Pistorius, Germany will suddenly look like it has acquired a backbone when it comes to security policy, just when Europe needs one.

Trump has spent his first month back in office systematically wrecking the transatlantic alliance, first on trade and then — most devastatingly — on defense. 

Without consulting a single European ally, the president and his team opened unconditional talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on “peace” in Ukraine, declared Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a “dictator” and said Kyiv would never win back all the land Moscow has illegally taken. 

On Sunday, the Ukrainian president even offered to resign if it helped deliver peace and meaningful security — such as NATO membership — for his country.