Conservative leader Friedrich Merz bathed in congratulations Monday morning after his German election victory.
“A clear voice from the voters, and we see how important this is for Europe,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his congratulatory message Sunday.
Merz has vowed to back Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion, and added Sunday night that he wanted Europe to “achieve independence” from the U.S., which looks set to detach from the continent under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
“We look forward to continuing our joint work with Germany to protect lives, bring real peace closer to Ukraine, and strengthen Europe. Europe must be able to defend itself, develop its industries, and achieve the necessary results. Europe needs shared successes, and those successes will bring even greater unity to Europe,” Zelenskyy added.
After the Franco-German motor powering the EU stalled, partly due to the at-times fractious relationship between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, Paris sees hope for a brighter future.
“I have just spoken to Friedrich Merz to congratulate him on his victory in the federal elections. I also spoke to Olaf Scholz to express my friendship to him,” Macron said Sunday night. “In this time of uncertainty, we stand united to face the great challenges facing the world and our continent.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated the incoming new German chancellor on his “clear election victory.”
“Looking forward to working closely with your upcoming government to further strengthen the partnership between our two countries,” Netanyahu wrote
Luxembourg’s conservative Prime Minister Luc Frieden congratulated his “friend Friedrich Merz” on his “impressive” victory. “Looking forward to working closely with you to strengthen the prosperity and security of Europe,” Frieden wrote.
“Congratulations Friedrich Merz on the CDU/CSU’s strong performance in the German election,” said recently elected Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. “I look forward to working closely with you on the EU Council, and on the challenges and opportunities for Europe in the years ahead.”
“We look forward to successful cooperation for a safe, stronger and united Europe. It is crucial to strengthen our support for Ukraine,” added Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.
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