Friedrich Merz to visit Warsaw and Paris in first trip as German chancellor to stress European unity

BERLIN (AP) — Friedrich Merz made his world-affairs debut Wednesday as Germany’s new chancellor, with plans to immediately team up with allies France and Poland to present a united European front on support for Ukraine and against U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.

The new pairing of Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron — both firm believers in the European Union — could help stiffen resistance from the 27-nation bloc against pressure from Trump and against Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine.

With the EU’s largest economies and populations, the tandem of Germany and France has long underpinned the 27-nation bloc but lost some of its vigor in recent months as leaders in both countries wrestled with domestic issues.

Merz and Macron are hoping to give the relationship fresh impetus at a crucial time, with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin both exerting pressure on the EU, forcing it to rethink its own security.

Merz’s trips come the day after his historic defeat in the first round of voting in the German parliament. No other postwar candidate for German chancellor has failed to win on the first ballot. He won in the second round.

Traditionally, newly elected German chancellors make a point of visiting their big neighbors in the west and east on the first day in office to stress European unity. The stops in Paris and Warsaw are happening on the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender in World War II.

Merz is expected to hold news conferences with Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer have separately hosted summits of European leaders to discuss Ukraine and European security in the wake of Trump’s moves to cut out the continent on Russia-Ukraine negotiations. __

Leicester reported from Paris. Associated Press Writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.