Neighboring Chancellor Exhibits Kindness
Article Rewrite:
Unveiling Merz's Diplomatic Dance: Stepping into the Russian Minefield
By Volker Petersen
After his address in the Bundestag, Chancellor Merz ventured into Maybrit Illner's couch and thus into German living rooms. There, he outlined once more his government's objectives and found a pleasant evening, albeit slightly discontented by an announcement.
A week after taking office, the new Chancellor basked in the advantage of not being the old one. In Maybrit Illner's talk show, Friedrich Merz presented himself as affable, eager to explain, and straightforward, providing a welcomed change from his predecessor Olaf Scholz. Scholz's hallmark was to swat aside uncomfortable questions with a terse "No," or to babble until everyone had forgotten the question. However, this does not imply that Merz always had airtight answers.
On content, Illner seemed to have set herself the task of methodically going through the government declaration from the previous Wednesday. The two sped through topics such as Ukraine, migration, economy, climate, and the inevitable AfD - which Merz has no intention of outlawing, as he clarified. Like in the Bundestag, he narrowly evaded recycling a Merkel quote, with an encouraging tone: "Can we roll up our sleeves together in this country and say, we'll tackle this now and make it. I believe that's possible."
Diplomacy in Focus Merz's "Primary Speech": What Really Matters Illner started with a query concerning whether the new government argues more than the old one and read out an impressive list of current disagreements between the SPD and Union on issues such as Taurus, supply chain law, defense spending, and more.
Merz listened to this with an amused, detached expression and said, "We are two different parties and we haven't left our differences at the cloakroom." And: "That at the beginning of a government, one sets one or two points that are more crucial to oneself than to the coalition partner, that's regular." Whether he will remain so composed if this continues remains to be seen.
Sanctions Galore?
Again and again, the moderator probed undeniably raw wounds - which led to a certain letdown in what was actually a debut victory for Merz: the joint trip to Kyiv with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The four had threatened Russian President Vladimir Putin with new sanctions if he did not agree to a 30-day ceasefire. During these 30 days, discussions were to take place to prolong the ceasefire as much as possible. As everyone knows, it did not turn out as planned. Putin offered talks instead, in Istanbul on Thursday evening, but without a ceasefire.
Diplomacy in Focus Greens in ntv Early Start Criticize Merz: "False Start" The threat of sanctions was renewed immediately. As Merz now said, these have been decided and will come into effect next Tuesday in Brussels. However, what takes effect next Tuesday are not Germany's extra-heavy special sanctions, as Macron had claimed, but merely the 17th sanctions package of the EU, which has long been in the pipeline.
Friedrich MerzBlack-Red
Even if the final tally may not seem substantial - Merz made a point here: "Now let someone say that we haven't made enough diplomatic efforts in the last few days to end this war." Many are calling for diplomacy to be tried, with Selenskyj showing "enormous willingness to compromise." "Who puts themselves in the wrong by not appearing is Putin," Merz said. In fact, hardly anyone believes that Putin genuinely wants peace. This was also revealed by the trip to Kyiv. Merz said that military exhaustion would likely bring peace.
Legal Acumen
Even on other topics, it became apparent that not everything can happen right away. When it came to migration, Merz navigated around the legal obstacles of deportations. Must a state of emergency be declared to deport asylum seekers? And is it prudent to anger the Poles by sending people back to them? Merz demonstrated his legal acumen here: no one who has entered Germany will be sent back, he said. Simply, no one will be let in. That's the difference. Whether Tusk sees it the same way?
Economy
When it came to the economy, the economist Jens Sudekum was brought in. He proposed the speedy implementation of the planned super-depreciation for corporations. Merz said they should be possible this year. He spent more time on contributions for retirement, care, and unemployment, which burden smaller and medium incomes more than taxes. Adjustments must be made to keep the social security systems affordable and effective. He said he doesn't yet have an answer to how this can be done. But it's also a question that seems to defy a simple solution. One step would be the introduction of the children's savings account that his government intends to implement.
As in the government declaration, climate protection only played a marginal role. Merz said that if he had followed the polls, he wouldn't have addressed it in the Bundestag at all. People have turned away from it because the Greens have "overmoralized" the issue and made climate protection with an agnostic finger. He didn't offer much in response, except the buzzword of technological openness and the rising CO2 price. Which is a bit thin, as Germany is still lagging behind in terms of being truly climate-neutral by 2045.
Merz benefited from the fact that no one else was in the studio, allowing him to address the questions calmly. He had a good evening, also for himself. He came across less like a miracle healer and more like someone trying to understand the problems and find practical solutions. He seemed reasonably approachable, like the friendly neighbor who might become the next federal chancellor. This could earn him bonus points. Because besides the many problems and crises that Merz would have to manage as chancellor, he has a second mission: to increase his own popularity. And there's still quite a bit of room for improvement there.
Source: ntv.de
Enrichment Data:
- Overall: Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and has announced plans for further sanctions against Russia. Here are the key points regarding his plans and diplomatic efforts:
- New Sanctions Package: The European Union is set to adopt a new sanctions package against Russia on May 20, 2025. This move is largely in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to attend peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul[1][2][4].
- Targeting Shadow Fleet: The sanctions will primarily target Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers, affecting almost 200 ships. Additionally, they will impact 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion and impose sanctions on 75 entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex[2].
- Confiscation of Russian Assets: Merz has also mentioned the possibility of confiscating frozen Russian sovereign assets if a suitable legal framework is established. This could potentially mobilize billions of dollars, though it poses risks for the European financial market[4].
- Diplomatic Efforts: The EU is coordinating its sanctions with the U.S., where the Congress is also considering new sanctions as part of the "Russian Sanctions Act of 2025"[3][4].
- Peace Talks in Istanbul: Despite Putin's absence, Ukraine's delegation remained in Istanbul for talks. Merz emphasized that Putin's refusal to participate in face-to-face negotiations hindered a potential ceasefire agreement[1][2].
- Support for Ukraine: Merz reiterated Germany's commitment to supporting Ukraine and emphasized that no peace agreement should be dictated by Russia. He stressed the need for diplomatic efforts to end the war while maintaining a firm stance against Russian aggression[4].
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in the field of environmental-science, considering the ongoing efforts by Chancellor Merz in diplomacy regarding the Ukraine crisis. In addition, the new government's objective in tackling climate-change received less emphasis in Merz's diplomatic dance, a subject that may warrant attention from the scientific community. Lastly, the political landscape continues to evolve with the unfolding of migratory patterns, an issue that is interconnected with various aspects of general-news, including the current crisis in Ukraine.
