Political analyst pointed to Mertz's attempts to echo Trump's position on Ukraine

German chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz has recognized the critical situation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) on the frontline as he is trying to be in line with US President-elect Donald Trump. Political scientist and international relations expert Enes Karakhanov shared this opinion with Izvestia on December 10.

The corresponding statement was made by Mertz the day before. He explained that the situation for Kiev is critical, since the Russian army has entrenched itself in its positions in the conflict zone.

"Obviously, such statements are not so much military analytics, but a well-considered political move. Merz is not a military expert, and his conclusions about the situation on the front are hardly based on deep strategic analysis. Even if during his visit to Kiev he got access to some data or saw the real consequences of the fighting, it hardly explains such a sharp shift in his public position," Karakhanov commented.

Most likely, he suggested, it is an attempt to adapt his rhetoric to the political and electoral realities of Germany and the international context. Thus, an important aspect is foreign policy dynamics. More and more politicians in Europe are beginning to take into account the prospect of Donald Trump's return to power, and he has repeatedly stated his willingness to seek peace between Ukraine and Russia, even on terms that may be disadvantageous to Kiev, the political scientist recalled.

"Merz, watching this process, may seek to take a position that will be in line with the course of the future American administration. This is a pragmatic step, because when Trump returns to the White House, Germany will have to adapt to the new U.S. approach to the Ukrainian crisis, and for the politician it is also a chance to be "in the fairway" of changes," explained the interlocutor of the publication.

In addition, it is extremely important for Merz to take into account the mood of voters: in Germany, the public is growing tired of the long and costly conflict in eastern Europe, the expert emphasized. Against this background, Merz's statements may be aimed at attracting the votes of those in favor of an early settlement of the conflict and revision of the current policy.

"It is also worth considering Merz's domestic political goals. His statements may be aimed at strengthening the positions of [his party's] CDU/CSU alliance before the next elections. Criticizing the current approach to the Ukrainian conflict is a way to contrast himself with the ruling coalition and present himself as a more sober and far-sighted leader," Karakhanov concluded.

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A day earlier, Merz arrived on an unannounced visit to Kiev. He told reporters that he came to demonstrate that the parliamentary group of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party firmly supports Ukraine.

Merz had previously said on Nov. 12 that he might issue an ultimatum to Russia if elected. However, he later retracted his words on December 3. Then, on November 30, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized Merz and stressed that it was not worth playing Russian roulette with Germany's security through Russian ultimatums.