Merz: Europe is preparing to keep financing Ukraine without US support
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned in a Bloomberg interview aired on October 19 that Europe's biggest risk is underestimating Russian influence on its societies, and said Russia is working to destabilize the continent's political order. He confirmed that Germany and other European countries are funding Ukraine's defense and equipment without relying on US assistance and will keep doing so until the war ends, even as European governments acknowledge they cannot quickly replace American air defense systems and intelligence sharing.
Key points
- Merz told Bloomberg on October 19 that Europe's biggest risk is underestimating Russian influence on its societies.
- He said Russia is moving to destabilize Europe's entire political order, and that its goal goes beyond territorial gains in Ukraine to include fear of democracy, open societies and European integration.
- Germany and other European countries are financing Ukraine's defense and equipment without counting on US funding, and will keep doing so until the war ends.
- European governments are preparing to continue supporting Ukraine and maintain sanctions on Russia without American backing, while acknowledging they cannot quickly replace US air defense systems and intelligence sharing.
- European leaders are trying to de-escalate the rift between Kyiv and Washington, in which Zelensky has accused Trump of trying to force Ukraine to capitulate and the US is demanding Ukraine stop strikes on Russian oil refineries.
- The German government blamed Russia for a drone attack on Leipzig airport in August, one of a growing number of sabotage incidents in Europe attributed to Russia or its allies.
- Merz said he tries to convince Trump at every meeting that a stable Europe serves US interests, and that European governments are reforming defense to become more strategically independent within NATO.
Why it matters
The German chancellor publicly framed the Russian threat as aimed at Europe's broader democratic order, not only at Ukraine, and confirmed that European countries are continuing to finance Kyiv's defense without relying on US funding. He also acknowledged Europe's limits — governments recognize they cannot quickly substitute US air defense systems and intelligence sharing — while describing parallel efforts to mediate tensions between Kyiv and Washington and to persuade the White House that a stable Europe serves American interests.
What happened
On October 19, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told Bloomberg that Europe's biggest risk is underestimating Russian influence on its societies. He said Russia is working to destabilize the continent's political order and that its aims go beyond territorial gains in Ukraine to include fear of democracy, open societies and the success of European integration.
Merz said Germany, other European countries and partners outside the United States are financing Ukraine's defense and equipment without counting on US support, and that Europe will keep doing so until the war ends, even though the burden on European budgets and the EU is significant. He added that European governments are preparing to maintain sanctions on Russia and to continue supporting Kyiv without American backing, while acknowledging they cannot quickly replace US air defense systems and intelligence sharing.
On the transatlantic relationship, Merz said he tries to convince Donald Trump at every meeting that a stable Europe serves US interests, and described European leaders' efforts to de-escalate the conflict between Kyiv and Washington. He said European governments have heard the alarm signal and are reforming defense to strengthen the continent's strategic independence within NATO.
The interview came against a backdrop of friction: President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Trump of trying to force Ukraine to capitulate to the Kremlin, citing restrictions on Starlink speed and delays in Patriot deliveries, while the US administration is demanding that Ukraine stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. Germany has also blamed Russia for a drone attack on Leipzig airport in August, part of a growing number of sabotage incidents in Europe attributed to Russia or its allies.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both Ukrainian sources, Ukrinform and ZN.UA, center Merz's warnings about the Russian threat to Europe's political order and highlight that Europe is continuing to support Ukraine financially without relying on the United States. The coverage foregrounds Zelensky's accusation that Trump is trying to force Ukraine to capitulate, alongside US demands to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, framing Washington's posture as pressure on Kyiv.
Background
In August the German government accused Russia of organizing a drone attack on Leipzig airport, one of a growing number of sabotage incidents in Europe attributed to Russia or its allies. Germany previously closed the Russian consulate in Bonn and the "Russian House" cultural center in Berlin, after which Moscow closed a branch of the German Goethe Institute. Earlier in October the head of German foreign intelligence warned that Germany has become one of Russia's main opponents in a shadow war and that the Russian threat has taken on a new, more dangerous quality, and cautioned about the risk of Europe's largest economy being pulled into violent conflict. European leaders are also trying to mediate a rift between Kyiv and Washington, after Zelensky accused Trump of trying to force Ukraine to capitulate through measures including limits on Starlink speed and delays in Patriot deliveries, while the US administration is demanding that Ukraine stop strikes on Russian oil refineries.