"The situation has changed dramatically": Friedrich Merz started talking about nuclear weapons

CDU candidate for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio station, said that he wants to agree with France and the UK on exactly how nuclear weapons should protect Europe.

"Now we want to start by comparing our ideas," Merz said.

"Negotiations should be held in order to complement the US nuclear umbrella, which we, of course, also want to preserve," he added.

According to the German politician, the situation in the field of global security requires strengthening the European component. Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed extending the French nuclear umbrella to other European countries.

Merz clearly stated that Germany "cannot and should not possess its own nuclear weapons." He added that there are at least two treaties that do not allow Germany to do this, including a document from 1990. Merz also confirmed that "Germany has unequivocally renounced the right to possess nuclear weapons and will remain so."

On the air of the Deutschlandfunk radio station, the CDU leader admitted that "the security situation in Germany has changed dramatically." He warned that in recent weeks there has been a tightening "unprecedented in recent decades," referring to the change in the course of US foreign policy under Donald Trump. Therefore, Germany "will have to do a lot very quickly for its defense."