Overview
- He warned that Russia’s war is a Europe-wide threat and said Germany faces daily sabotage, espionage and cyberattacks.
- He said the government will increase defense spending, expand voluntary military service for some young men, and seek constitutional changes to allow more borrowing for the military.
- He described the partnership with the United States as changing under President Trump, calling for Europeans to take more responsibility for their security.
- He flagged economic risks from a return to protectionism and from strategic dependence on imported raw materials being used as political leverage.
- He acknowledged frustration over stalled reforms and cast 2026 as a year of new beginnings for competitiveness, social security and a more orderly migration approach.