Friedrich Merz, the presumptive next German chancellor and a longtime supporter of transatlantic ties, said he now seeks security "independence" from the United States and expressed doubts about the future of NATO, the alliance that has underpinned Western defense interests since World War II.
The 69-year-old, who faces tough coalition talks after his party's first-place finish in Germany's parliamentary elections over the weekend, said on February 24 that the country can't afford political paralysis at a time when Washington's foreign policy is shifting and the German economy is slumping.
"For me, the absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA" in defense matters, Merz said.
SEE ALSO: German Election Results Match Poll Predictions, Handing Victory To CDU/CSUMerz, leader of the center-right CDU/CSU alliance, said he had "no illusions at all about what is coming out of America."
"After Donald Trump's statements in the last week, it is clear that the Americans are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe," he said in a televised postelection discussion with other party leaders, a traditional event following German elections.
"I'm very curious to see how we head toward the NATO summit at the end of June -- whether we will still be talking about NATO in its current form or whether we will have to establish an independent European defense capability much more quickly," Merz added.
In one of Germany's most important elections in the post-World War II era, the CDU/CSU finished on top with 28.5 percent of the vote, according to official figures, which isn't enough to form a government alone.
However, in what likely caused a major sigh of relief in many EU capitals as well as inside Germany, the results will likely allow mainstream parties to keep the far-right AfD party out of government.
Coalition partner candidates are the center-left SPD of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which lost nearly 10 percentage points compared with four years ago, receiving 16.4 percent, and the Greens, who finished fourth with 11.6 percent. AfD was second with 20.8 percent.
Scholz will likely remain in place as a caretaker chancellor until a new government is formed.
Despite the recent tensions within the transatlantic alliance, Trump hailed the results, posting on his social media platform that the conservatives' victory was "a great day for Germany."
"Much like the USA, the people of Germany got tired of the no common sense agenda, especially on energy and immigration," Trump wrote.
Left-leaning British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and centrist French President Emmanuel Macron, both key NATO allies, congratulated Merz on his party's victory and also underlined the need for enhanced European security efforts.
"I look forward to working with the new government to deepen our already strong relationship, enhance our joint security, and deliver growth for both our countries," Starmer posted on X.
Macron, who is due to meet Trump in Washington on February 24, said, "We are more determined than ever to achieve great things together for France and for Germany and to work for a strong and sovereign Europe."
"In this period of uncertainty, we are united to face the great challenges of the world and of our continent."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also congratulated Merz, writing on social media that "Europe must be able to defend itself, develop its industries, and achieve the necessary results."
"Europe needs shared successes, and those success will bring even greater unity to Europe," he wrote.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Live Briefing: Starmer Says European Allies Preparing Peace PlanZelenskyy on February 23 also said he was ready to give up his position as president to bring peace, saying it could be in exchange for his country joining NATO.
"If there is peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready.... I can exchange it for NATO," Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv, adding he would depart "immediately" if necessary.
Following recent speculation about sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine following a truce deal, Merz said it was too early to discuss such efforts.
"I see it the same way as the chancellor [Scholz]. This is not a question at all at the moment," said Merz, who has regularly backed continued aid for Kyiv.
Scholz on February 18 said discussions over sending peacekeepers were "completely premature" and "highly inappropriate" while the war is ongoing.
Trump has roiled America's traditional allies in Europe with his readiness to restart diplomatic ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, raising concerns that Europe -- or even Kyiv itself -- will be sidelined in the process.
Trump has also long complained that European nations are not paying enough for their own defense and has often questioned the long-term viability of NATO itself.
Against the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine, Merz will also have to balance relations between Berlin and Moscow amid an environment of shifting geopolitical winds brought about by the new administration in the White House.
"Each time [there's a new government] we want to hope for a more sober approach to reality, for a more sober approach to what could be issues of mutual interest [between Russia and Germany], mutual benefits," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on February 24.
"But let's see how it will be in reality."
In his postelection remarks, Merz said, "The interventions from Washington were no less dramatic and drastic and ultimately outrageous than the interventions we have seen from Moscow," referring to Trump ally Elon Musk’s remarks ahead of the vote in favor of the far-right AfD.
"We are under so much pressure from two sides that my absolute priority now really is to create unity in Europe," Merz added.