this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2026
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Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirms discussions underway on a European nuclear deterrent, at speech in Munich.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that U.S. leadership can no longer be taken for granted and Europe must prepare to stand more firmly on its own, in a stark warning to world leaders in Munich.

“The leadership claim of the U.S. is being challenged, perhaps already lost,” Merz said during the opening of the Munich Security Conference, laying out the starkest assessment yet from Berlin of a world increasingly defined by great-power rivalry. “In the era of great powers, our freedom is no longer simply guaranteed. It is under threat.”

He argued the global system itself may already have collapsed. “The international order based on rights and rules … no longer exists in the way it once did,” he said.

Merz also drew a lesson from Germany’s own history. “We Germans know a world in which might makes right would be a dark place,” he said. “Our country has gone down this path in the 20th century until the bitter and dreadful end.”

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[–] gandalf_der_12te@feddit.org 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The first time that Merz said something that wasn't simply utterly untrue.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

“The international order based on rights and rules … no longer exists in the way it once did,”

Clearly Trump doesn't give a shit about that. Zero aid from USA to Ukraine, since Trump took over the presidency!
A democracy invaded by Russia without reason! And Trump says Ukraine should just give in to to Russian demands.
Trump is not an ally of democracy, he is not an ally of Europe, and he has even threatened Canada, despite Canada has consistently supported USA for more than a century!

Merz is stating the obvious. USA is not just not leading anymore, USA is a major part of the problem now.

[–] Akasazh@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Does he apply the same insight on Israel?

[–] RmDebArc_5@feddit.org 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

“The international order based on rights and rules … no longer exists in the way it once did,”

Because that's what the international order was based on

[–] Hamartia@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

"Rules and rights for me, but not for thee"

They can't say the quiet part out loud, because then they'd give the whole game away.

[–] middlemanSI@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

The editor blasted all over the table after hearing the news.

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

"the international order" never existed and given his views the one he wants to build includes massive genocide and exploitation of non European countries.

[–] Miaou@jlai.lu 3 points 1 day ago

Come on, the third Reich he's apparently missing so much wasn't kind to non Germans

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 3 points 1 day ago

Party's in my house at 7. Eat shit, Merz.