The top news stories from the United States
Provided by AGP
Germany’s Merz Reaffirms U.S. Alliance Amid NATO Strain
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz moved Sunday to shore up transatlantic ties, declaring that "the United States is and will remain Germany's most important partner" in NATO — even as friction between Berlin and Washington continues to mount over Iran and troop deployments.
Posting on X, Merz underscored shared Western resolve on Tehran's nuclear ambitions: "We share a common goal: Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons."
The statement arrives against a backdrop of escalating diplomatic unease. Merz had previously drawn controversy by accusing Washington of lacking an "exit strategy" in the Iran conflict and suggesting the Americans were "humiliated" by Tehran during negotiations — remarks that sparked swift pushback from the Trump administration.
On the question of advanced weaponry, Merz confirmed Sunday that Washington would not be positioning Tomahawk cruise missiles on German soil — at least for now. He was careful to distance the decision from his earlier criticism of President Donald Trump, framing it instead as a matter of military supply constraints.
"The Americans don't have enough for themselves right now. Objectively speaking, there is virtually no possibility of the US supplying weapons systems of this kind," Merz told a public broadcaster in a televised interview.
The weapons announcement follows a separate but equally consequential development: Trump signaled Saturday that the United States intends to significantly draw down its military footprint in Germany, going well beyond a previously announced reduction.
"We're going to cut way down and we're cutting a lot further than 5,000," Trump told reporters at his Florida estate when pressed on the troop withdrawal plan.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
