The first step towards Mr Merz being effective on the European stage is for him to forge a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats at home, a task expected to take several more weeks. But the agreement announced on March 4th was startling in its ambition.

After his conservative bloc came out ahead in German legislative elections with almost 30 percent of the vote, Friedrich Merz must now forge a coalition government. Merz has pledged to revive the

Already, Merz has pledged to increase defense spending and put Paris, Warsaw, and London at the lead of a new policy to shore up Ukraine’s sovereignty and defend Europe from Russia with or without the United States.

In a televised address, President Emmanuel Macron warned that Europe needed to deal with a retreating America and a bellicose Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's conservative chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz agreed during a meeting in Paris to open a new chapter in Franco-German relations, a source close to Merz told Reuters.

French President Emmanuel Macron will dine with Germany's chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Wednesday evening, the Elysee said. The palace said the two leaders would meet for a "working dinner" but gave no further detail.

European Union leaders are holding emergency summit talks to beef up their own military defenses and make sure Ukraine will still be properly protected as Europe faces the prospect of the U.S. cutting it adrift.

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Chancellor-in-waiting may ask for shelter under UK and France’s nuclear umbrella as he calls for Europe to build up its defence capabilities

Germany's future chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted for the first time that he intended to 'discuss' expanding nuclear protection with London and Paris. However, many questions remain about how such a plan would be implemented.

PARIS — France is warming up to the possibility of seizing Russian frozen assets to help Ukraine, said an official with direct knowledge of talks within the French government and between Paris and Berlin.