German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday ahead of a commemoration marking Germany’s 70 years of NATO membership. The encounter was punctuated by strong condemnation of a recent incident in the Red Sea, where, according to German government accounts, a Chinese naval vessel allegedly directed a laser towards a German reconnaissance aircraft.
Chancellor Merz described the potential laser incident as “completely unacceptable”. He stated that Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will present a report on the matter, adding that such occurrences underscore the need to address emerging security challenges. While cautioning against a premature assessment, Merz highlighted the importance of preparedness.
Secretary General Rutte reiterated concerns about a scenario involving coordinated action from Russia and China. Drawing on intelligence sources, Rutte suggested a potential sequence where Chinese President Xi Jinping would contact Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to any military action targeting Taiwan, effectively engaging Moscow as a supporting partner. Rutte emphasized the interconnectedness of transatlantic and Indo-Pacific security.
Chancellor Merz underscored the rationale behind the recently adopted increase in the NATO defense target, agreed upon at the Den Haag summit. He affirmed Germany’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations, stating that this action is driven by the need to strengthen collective security, not simply to satisfy NATO requirements. Merz suggested that a different approach by Germany could have resulted in a different outcome at the Den Haag summit.
Secretary General Rutte stressed the urgent need to accelerate arms production. He noted that countries like Poland, Romania and Estonia are currently sourcing weaponry from South Korea due to protracted procurement times within Europe and the United States. He advocated for expanded production capacity, additional staffing and the elimination of bureaucratic obstacles to facilitate rapid arms acquisition.