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Merz: Russia Wants to Destabilize Europe’s Entire Political Order, Not Just Ukraine
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned against complacency over the threat from Moscow, saying Russian leader Vladimir Putin aims not only to defeat Ukraine but also to undermine democracy across Europe.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, Merz expressed strong concerns that European societies are underestimating the scope of Russia's influence and its broader efforts to disrupt the political order of the continent.
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“My biggest concern is the underestimated Russian impact on our societies,” Merz said. “Russia is on the way to destabilize the entire political order of our European continent.”
Merz noted that many individuals, including citizens in Germany, fail to grasp the true objectives behind Moscow's actions, which extend far beyond territorial ambitions in Ukraine to a fundamental opposition to open societies and European integration, according to Bloomberg.
“They don’t see what the goal of Russia really is,” Merz added. “This is not only territorial gain in Ukraine. They fear democracy. They fear open societies. They fear the success of European integration.”
In response to these growing threats, European governments are actively implementing defense reforms to strengthen self-reliance and bolster their protective capabilities within NATO. “We are hearing the wake-up call,” Merz stated. “And we are trying to bring ourselves into a position which makes us strong enough to compete, to defend ourselves independently within NATO.”
Merz said Germany and other European and non-US allies continue to manage heavy financial commitments to sustain defense funding for Kyiv without help from Washington.
“It’s really a big effort for our budgets, it’s really a big thing for the European Union,” Merz said. “But we are doing that and we are trying to keep on doing that until this terrible war ends,” as reported by Bloomberg.
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Despite these security and logistical challenges, European leaders remain focused on maintaining sanctions against Moscow and defending Ukraine's territorial integrity, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced concerns over delays in key military supplies, such as Patriot interceptor missiles, and service adjustments to vital communications networks like Starlink.
On October 8, Merz ignored warnings from Moscow and made his second visit to Kyiv as chancellor, accompanied by German officials and defense executives.
He visited the damaged Academy of Sciences in the capital, where recent drone strikes had killed civilians, and publicly called on Vladimir Putin to end the war. Following their meeting, Zelenskyy announced 15 bilateral agreements valued at over €8.5 billion ($9.5 billion), which covered air defense, drone interceptors, radar technology, and energy support.
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