Merz: Europe Can't Pressure Putin, Relies on US Help

"Currently we, the Europeans, and this worries me, are not able to exert enough pressure on Putin to stop this war. We are dependent on American help," said German opposition leader Friedrich Merz in an interview with his party's, the "Christian Democratic Union of Germany," YouTube channel.

He recalled the SCO summit in China at the beginning of the week and noted that everyone sees how China, India, Brazil, and other countries are openly establishing partnerships with Russia.

"The fact that worries me and, I admit, saddens me, is that we Europeans are not currently playing the role in the world that we would like and should play to reliably protect our interests. It is for this reason that I am so actively involved in this process, even if it is partly criticized within the country," he said.