Merz: Europe has done very little to finance its defence and security

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has acknowledged US accusations that Europe was doing very little to finance its defence and security, but now believes they are on the same line.

We know we have to do more and in the past we've been joking,” he told the BBC's Today programme “they're asking us to do more and we're doing more. ”

Merz was in the United Kingdom to strengthen defence ties with Germany, as part of a historic friendship treaty that also aims to address irregular migration and promote youth exchanges.

Russia's war with Ukraine has been an element that has affected in the first weeks of his mandate as Chancellor, as has US President Donald Trump's threat to impose 30% import tariffs on European Union exports by 1 August.

Merz told Nick Robinson, in his first television interview in the United Kingdom as Chancellor, that he had met Trump three times and that they had good conversation relations: “I think President Trump is on the same line; we are trying to get this war to the end. ”

We are on the phone once a week; we are coordinating our efforts. One issue is war in Ukraine, and the second is our trade debates and fees. ”

Merz was a vocal supporter of Ukraine during the election campaign and visited Kiev months before leading Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats to victory in the February elections.

Four days after he was sworn in early May, he was on a train to Kiev in a solidarity show with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron.

We're seeing a big threat and the threat is Russia. And this threat is not just Ukraine. It is for our peace, for our freedom, for the political order of Europe”, he warned.