Germanys Merz Says Europe Wants Strong NATO, Backs Trumps Goal of Ending Iran Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on March 3, 2026. Jonathan Ernst//ReutersGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Europe wants to maintain the NATO alliance, saying that Europe and the United States have the shared goal of stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.“We are really willing to keep this alliance alive for the future,” Merz ​said at a press conference on May 9 alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.