28.01.2026 22:52
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that they are closely monitoring the events in Iran, saying, "In my belief, the days of a regime that can only maintain power through violence against its own people are numbered. This may last for weeks, but the current regime has no legitimacy to govern the country."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in the capital Berlin. A joint press conference was held after the meeting, which addressed political and security issues within the European Union (EU) and on a global scale. Merz stated that they evaluated Europe's defense and security policies during their discussions with Bolojan, saying, "Romania contributes significantly every day to the security of Europe on NATO's eastern flank and at the Ukrainian border."
MERZ: WE SUPPORT UKRAINE POLITICALLY, FINANCIALLY, HUMANITARIANLY, AND MILITARILY
Merz noted that they also discussed efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, stating, "We support Ukraine politically, financially, humanitarianly, and militarily. We are helping our friends in Ukraine during these challenging winter days when Russia is systematically attacking Ukraine's energy supply and dragging this country into a humanitarian energy crisis."
Merz drew attention to the negotiations expected to continue on February 1 in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA, saying, "We want the conflicts to end, Russia to remain at the negotiating table, and to be ready to end this war through negotiations and achieve peace. We want peace for Ukraine and security for Europe. The continuation of the talks between Ukraine and Russia that started in Abu Dhabi is a positive development. Together with our partners in Europe, we will contribute to ending this war as soon as possible."
"THE DAYS OF THE REGIME IN IRAN ARE NUMBERED"
Merz stated that they are closely following the protests and violence in Iran, saying, "We want to apply as much pressure as possible on the Iranian regime. However, there are still a few countries in the EU that are not ready to classify the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, and this saddens me. It does not seem possible to reach a consensus on this issue in the EU yet."
Merz said, "In my belief, a regime that can only maintain power through violence against its own people and terrorism has its days numbered. This may take weeks, but the current regime has no legitimacy to govern the country."
Merz stated, "If there has been a five-digit high death toll in the protests against the regime, it shows that this regime can only hold onto power through direct terrorism." He also emphasized that he maintains the view he expressed during his recent visit to India, saying, "I assume we are witnessing the last days and weeks of the regime."
"WE WANT TO HAVE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH ASHARA"
Regarding developments in Syria and the postponed visit of Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara to Berlin, the German Chancellor said, "I hope that the postponed visit of President al-Shara to Germany can take place in the near future. Because we want to discuss in detail with him as well. We are making our contribution from the outside. Even with our limited resources, we are trying to help achieve lasting peace and stability."
DIScussions ON DEFENSE FORMULA WITHOUT THE USA
Merz highlighted the steps taken to defend NATO's eastern flank and noted that a defense cooperation agreement was signed between Germany and Romania in this context. Merz stated, "This memorandum shows that a shared responsibility has been taken for the security of Europe, Romania, and Germany."
During the press conference, journalists asked Merz about NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's statements in the European Parliament (EP) that Europe cannot defend itself without the support of the USA, and the subsequent discussions on the "defense formula without the USA" in Europe. Merz responded, "We are not alone. We have strong partners in NATO. This is not only true for European countries. For example, we have strong partners like Canada and Norway, which are not EU members. However, not only President Donald Trump but also previous presidents have been right in recent years that we have not made enough effort for Europe's defense. They are also right when they say we are doing better now. European countries have committed to investing more in defense spending within NATO goals and are making great efforts. We are progressing on this path and want to continue moving forward with our American partners in the future."
"TRUMP WILL TURN 80 IN JUNE"
Merz also responded to a question about the health of US President Donald Trump, whose bruises were visibly seen during the World Economic Forum (WEF) meetings in Davos, Switzerland. Merz said, "After my impressions from discussions with President Trump, I have no doubt about his health. He will turn 80 in June, but I believe he is in a position to fully perform his duties. I see no signs to the contrary."
Bolojan also referred to the partnerships in the defense field between Germany and his country and the steps taken to protect NATO's eastern flank. Bolojan stated regarding NATO Secretary General Rutte's words that Europe cannot defend itself without the support of the USA, "I believe the Secretary General is right. Peace in Europe has relied on NATO for decades, and the US defense system plays a dominant role in this. However, considering what is happening today, it is very important to strengthen European security. European countries should play a larger role in defense policy."