As Germany’s far right rises, weakened Merz looks to project strength and resolve against Putin

Berlin — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz took steps to assure European allies and Kyiv that his domestic political weakness would not weaken his government's support for Ukraine, as the conflict enters its fifth winter. He aimed to persuade the German electorate, increasingly doubtful of his leadership, that Berlin should provide military assistance to Ukraine, warning that failing to remain united with Kyiv could eventually lead to a Russian attack on Germany.

Merz warned, during a ceremony in Münster where he received the Westphalian Peace Prize, that war would eventually return to Europe, specifically mentioning the Baltic states potentially becoming a battleground for drone warfare and major European cities facing ballistic missile strikes. The surge in popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has favorable views toward Russia and opposes military support for Ukraine, raised concerns in Kyiv and Europe that Germany, currently Ukraine's primary military ally under Merz, could falter in its support.

Merz criticized the AfD as a mouthpiece for Moscow's influence and pledged that his government would maintain its backing for Ukraine despite Moscow's hybrid attacks and disinformation campaigns spread through the AfD's rhetoric. During the event, North Rhine-Westphalia's premier Hendrik Wüst praised Merz's leadership and emphasized his commitment to NATO's 5% defense spending target, highlighting Germany's vital role in peace and freedom.

While Merz and Wüst aimed to present a cohesive front to the world, many of Merz's statements were intended to reassure a German public that is showing growing apprehension about potential Russian aggression, with a recent poll showing 42% of respondents believing that military support for Ukraine goes too far. The opposition to military aid for Ukraine is particularly strong in the former East Germany, where the AfD holds a significant lead.