Speaking at the start of the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Munich, Merz said the gathering had long served as a “seismograph for the political situation,” recalling years of engagement aimed at strengthening ties with the United States and other allies.
However, he said recent years had been marked by “increasing tensions and conflicts,” pointing in particular to Russia’s war against Ukraine as evidence of a rapidly deteriorating security environment.
Referring to the conference’s theme, Merz said the idea of living “under destruction” might sound grim, but argued that reality was even harsher. “This world order no longer exists,” he said, adding that Europe had “returned from a vacation from history.”
Merz described the current era as one defined by “big power politics,” accusing Russia of “violent revisionism” through its aggression against Ukraine. He also warned that China was seeking to reshape the international system by exploiting economic dependencies and reordering global rules in its own favour.
He said the United States claim to global leadership had been “challenged and possibly lost,” as competition over technology, commodities and supply chains intensifies. According to Merz, Washington has recognised the need to catch up with China in key sectors, a process he said was accelerating global rivalry rather than easing it.
The chancellor warned that this return of great-power politics reflects deep social unrest during a period of revolutionary change and poses a serious test for democratic systems by encouraging “strong and easy answers.”
He concluded by urging European nations to accept the reality of the emerging world order, confront it directly and defend their values rather than deny the scale of the challenge.
