German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged Friday a rift had opened up between Europe and the United States but issued an appeal to Washington: "Let's repair and revive transatlantic trust together." Merz was giving the opening address to the Munich Security Conference against a backdrop of rapidly worsening ties between Europe and the United States. "Let me begin with the uncomfortable truth: A rift, a deep divide has opened between Europe and the United States," Merz told the gathering, attended by dozens of leaders, defence chiefs and foreign ministers from around the world. So let's repair and revive transatlantic trust together," Merz said. Merz warned that, in an era of great power politics, freedoms long taken for granted were increasingly "endangered".

Source: The Local February 14, 2026 02:34 UTC