Germany's election winner Friedrich Merz warned the United States on Monday against turning its back on allies but also urged Europeans to build up their own defence capabilities.

The U.S. is lobbying countries around the world to oppose a resolution brought forward at the UN General Assembly by Ukraine and European countries.

Whether they do so will likely determine the extent of Europe’s role in shaping a peaceful Ukraine. European diplomats privately say Trump’s broadside against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week—when he falsely said Ukraine started the war with Russia and labeled its leader a dictator—was disgraceful and reflected Russian disinformation.

Friedrich Merz could have one shot at fending off ascending populists and an increasingly hostile U.S., analysts say.

Friedrich Merz dey announce a new era for Europe without di US as a key partner, na so Europe editor Katya Adler dey write.

The two leaders started their day by participating in a more than two-hour virtual meeting with fellow leaders of the Group of Seven economies to discuss the war.

Trump’s executive order has raised questions about whether the US will stop investigating US firms — or even act on their behalf.

Europeans are debating additional funding and contemplating troops in Ukraine as American support appears ever more at risk.

Europe should use money from frozen Russian assets for further military support of Ukraine and relax its fiscal rules to boost defence spending, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Monday.

In a war dominated by the unexpected, few imagined Ukraine’s fourth year at war would so firmly now question the security of all of Europe.