Merz Says 'Pax Americana' Is Ending, Urges Europe To Strengthen Independent Defence

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that Europe must prepare for a fundamental shift in transatlantic relations as U.S. security guarantees for the continent weaken.

Speaking on Saturday at the Christian Social Union (CSU) congress in Munich, Merz said the era of“Pax Americana”, the post–World War II order under which the United States ensured European security, is largely over.

He cautioned Europeans against assuming that U.S. foreign policy would return to predictability after Donald Trump, stressing that Washington's strategic priorities have been changing for years.

“Trump did not appear overnight, and American policy will not change overnight either,” Merz said, adding that future U.S. leadership could prove even less committed to Europe's security.

The German leader urged European countries to rely more on their own capabilities, calling for stronger independent defence capacity and greater strategic autonomy within Europe.

Merz also warned against offering excessive concessions to Moscow in efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine, arguing that appeasement would only strengthen the Kremlin's ambitions.

He said President Vladimir Putin would not stop at Ukraine, warning of attempts to redraw Europe's borders and reassert control over former Soviet territories, posing long-term threats to European security.

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