German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a sharp message to Moscow, saying Germany is effectively in a state of conflict with Russia. He accused the Kremlin of trying to destabilize Germany from within, including pressure on infrastructure and interference across multiple spheres.
“Putin is destabilizing a significant part of our country. He interferes everywhere. That is why Germany is already in conflict with Russia,” the head of German government said in an interview with LCI.
Merz stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ignoring international agreements and dismantling the rules-based order that underpinned the postwar settlement. He added that other authoritarian regimes — in China and North Korea - act similarly, but said Russia has become the most aggressive factor for Europe.
The chancellor framed it as a long-term challenge for the international community: the need to counter Putin’s regime, which he said has turned the state into a tool of kleptocracy. He called Russian oligarchs part of that system and said civilized nations will have to contain the Kremlin’s aggressive ambitions for many years.
At the same time, Merz voiced hope that Germany and Russia could one day return to normal relations, but said that is not possible today.
“We want to be good neighbors with the Russian people, but we are far from that right now. Putin’s regime and his inner circle are something we must firmly say ‘no’ to,” Merz emphasized.
