Germany’s New Partners

On Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz returned to Germany after visiting the United States. President Donald Trump called the chancellor a “friend,” but Germany is actively working to move on without America. “Germany doesn’t want to be dependent on the U.S. anymore,” German Economics Minister Katherine Reiche stated bluntly.

Pivoting from America while making alliances with everyone else is Germany’s new strategy. Last week, the chancellor met Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping in Beijing. Since the start of the year, Merz has visited India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

China

In Merz’s February 13 speech at the Munich Security Conference, he said China is a superpower and that Germany should become one too. How does Germany aim to become a superpower? Partly by allying with traditional enemies like China.

Germany’s “greatest strength remains [its] ability to build partnerships, alliances and organizations that are based on law and rules, founded on respect and trust, and that believe in the power of freedom,” he said. However, China’s track record with the Uyghurs and Ukraine shows it cares nothing about freedom.

German-Chinese relations have been tense recently due to unfair competition from Chinese car companies, which hurt the German auto industry, costing some 50,000 jobs. The growing trade imbalance has also been a source of tension in Europe. On the two-day visit, which included an entourage of 30 German business representatives, Merz aimed to establish a “balanced, reliable, regulated and fair” relationship with Beijing. Although it’s unclear if he succeeded, he definitely managed to tighten ties.

Xi made three propositions that call on China and Germany to become reliable partners who understand each other, form close cultural bonds, and “champion openness and win-win results.” Merz and Xi signed five memoranda of understanding, which included climate, agricultural and exchange issues. Following the meeting, Merz announced a Chinese order for 120 Airbus aircraft, which he pointed to as proof that the visit was profitable. Merz’s willingness to visit Xi is a major step in their growing economic relationship.

Gulf States

From February 4 to 6, Merz visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. It was the first trip to the region by a German leader since 2022. One reason Merz visited these Gulf states was to cut Germany’s reliance on U.S. natural gas. According to the International Energy Agency, 27 percent of Germany’s energy supply comes from natural gas, and over 90 percent of its imported liquefied natural gas comes from the United States.

The most obvious choice to replace U.S. gas is the Gulf region. The Gulf holds 50 percent of the world’s oil reserves and supplies 30 percent of global oil. Qatar already supplies Germany with 2 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year.

The Gulf countries have a “growing and ever increasing power on the international stage,” former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said. Germany, seeking to reach superpower status, recognizes that.

Days before Merz’s trip to the region, Economics Minister Reiche signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia, taking the relationship to a new level. Merz encouraged Saudis to invest more in the German economy through their sovereign wealth funds.

Germany’s interest in the region goes beyond economics and energy. On his trip, Merz pledged to loosen export restrictions on German arms to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. This is a big change from previous governments, who, especially following Jamal Khashoggi’s death, refused to supply arms to those nations.

Like China, these nations don’t have a good human rights record. Amnesty International called on Merz to discuss those issues during his visit—he didn’t. Germany is looking to break its reliance on the U.S., no matter who it has to deal with.

India

Before visiting the Gulf states, Merz visited India from January 12 to 13 in his first Asian trip since taking office. He met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and signed multiple agreements ranging from weapons sharing to technology partnerships, despite India’s pro-Russia actions. Modi and Merz said they wanted to continue strengthening their relationship. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul referred to India as one of Germany’s closest partners.

The meeting came just days before the EU-India trade agreement, hailed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as the “mother of all trade deals.” It was signed on January 17, further cementing Germany’s partnership with the South Asian nation as a quarter of India’s trade with the EU goes to Germany. (For a more detailed explanation of India’s importance, read “Everybody Wants India.”)

Latin America

On January 17, the EU and mercosur (a trade bloc composed of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia) signed what von der Leyen termed one of the “most consequential trade agreements of the first half of this century.”

Although the EU formed the agreement, not Germany, it may as well have been an agreement between Germany and the Latin American trade bloc because Germany was its main driver in Europe. France opposed it for environmental reasons and because it believes the deal will undercut French farmers. Poland, Austria, Ireland, Hungary and Italy (thought it reversed course) also opposed the deal for similar reasons. Despite that, Germany is still pushing for it and almost certainly will get its way.

When implemented, this trade deal will provide Germany with access to rare earth minerals, a market of over 300 million people (further decreasing its reliance on the U.S.), fast-growing economies, and a strategic position from which to economically siege North America.

Bible Prophecy

The Bible prophesied that Germany would break from the United States and form alliances with these nations in the end time. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in “Germany Unites the World Against America”:

Europe is going to become the world’s number one superpower. It is already equipped with nuclear bombs. You can be sure that once it gains the economic clout, it will terrorize the world. And America will be its primary target.

It may look like Germany is merely diversifying its trade partnerships, but Germany is strengthening relationships with powers openly hostile to the U.S. Soon, these alliances will result in an economic siege against the U.S. and the British commonwealth, cutting them out of global trade and leading to the worst suffering ever.

For more information, read “Germany Unites the World Against America.”