The German government is reorganizing partnerships: from new partnerships with Italy and India, to strategic partnerships with the Gulf states.
The recent intensive diplomatic and economic activities of the German government are reminiscent of the period after the start of the war in Ukraine, when Russian gas supplies were cut off and Berlin was forced to look for new partners. Now the alliance with the US is “under pressure”, after the announcement of the new strategy towards Europe by the US. Not only Germany, but also other middle-class Western powers such as Canada, are looking for partners in the world.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is wrapping up visits to countries in the Asia-Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Tonga, Brunei).
“We need such partnerships… in a world where great powers dominate politics,” Chancellor Merz explained to the media in Riyadh. He said that this way we will better safeguard our freedom, security and well-being. Foreign Minister Wadephul was even more direct: “There is no power vacuum anywhere in the world, it is filled by those who are present,” Wadephul said on the ZDF television channel.
Gulf States: Economic Interest and Discussions
The intensification of cooperation with Gulf states, some of which are known for questionable human rights records, has raised questions in the German media. Aware of this, Merz said he had raised the topic of human rights in all meetings with Gulf states. But “I do this behind closed doors,” he explained.
Trade cooperation between Germany and the Gulf countries is based on mutual interests. While Saudi Arabia aims to modernize the country's structures, Berlin is working to revitalize the German economy. The wealthy Gulf monarchies are willing to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to modernize. The Saudis are very interested in German technology, such as construction engineering, underground works, but also in German armaments. As Foreign Minister Wadephul said, "many countries want to cooperate with us."
Before that (January 12.01-13.01), Chancellor Merz was also warmly welcomed in India, where he signed 19 economic agreements, including a 1.24 billion euro partnership for renewable energy and the holding of joint naval and air maneuvers.
Ten German ministers in Rome: Merz and Meloni build consensus
Of the trips, Chancellor Merz's meeting with Italian Prime Minister Meloni (23.01.2026) was particularly noteworthy. Friedrich Merz was accompanied to Rome by ten German ministers, half of the government. There, Berlin and Rome clearly expressed the same opinion on almost all issues concerning the future of Europe.
Both sides agreed in a document to strengthen coordination on European issues. They want to curb illegal immigration and increase repatriations. There will be more joint projects on defense.
Correspondents who witnessed the Chancellor's visit to Rome noted that a close friendship is developing between Merz and Meloni. Meloni is politically stable, unlike Emmanuel Macron. She and Chancellor Merz share the same stance on some of President Trump's policies, as was evident in statements in Rome to the Peace Council; Meloni shares similar views on Ukraine and world trade.
Giorgia Meloni suits German interests, as she expects Italy to be taken seriously in Europe. The consultations prompted some commentators to talk about a new Berlin-Rome axis, but in Germany the cooperation is generally not preferred to be called such.
Fading euphoria between Berlin and Paris
Cooperation between Germany and France has been undergoing changes since May 2025, when Merz came to power. As soon as he took office, Merz declared consolidating the partnership with France as a primary objective. By August, twenty “basic projects” had been finalized, but the initial optimism has gradually weakened.
Some experts consider the fact that the Mercosur agreement (the trade agreement between the EU and South American countries) was ultimately approved by the EU only thanks to Italian support as a key element in the intensification of Merz-Meloni cooperation. France opposed it, even though the EU had been negotiating the agreement with the Mercosur countries for 25 years.
In Berlin, they are irritated by the French blocking stance on the production of the joint fighter jet of the future. This project is in danger of going bankrupt. There are also frictions over the stance towards Ukraine. Macron's initiative to invite Russian President Putin to Paris, without coordination with Berlin, for a G-7 meeting (an initiative announced by President Trump), came unexpectedly.
Berlin consolidates power
France remains a major European military power. But militarily, Berlin is also working intensively to build the largest conventional army in Europe. At the end of January, Germany declared that it had officially started developing a national satellite-based missile detection system as a priority, in order to be more independent. Meanwhile, France is facing a stifling debt, which limits it in several directions. At the same time, French analysts also recently noted that Merz is very present internationally. Paris is having a difficult time “structurally” when Berlin consolidates its position as a dominant political player. /DW/
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