Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to talk energy, arms and diplomacy as he embarks on a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. Back in Germany, airline Lufthansa is investigating its Nazi past.
Germany news: Merz starts Gulf trip with Saudi Arabia visit
Matt Ford with AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to talk energy, arms and diplomacy as he embarks on a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. Back in Germany, airline Lufthansa is investigating its Nazi past.
Friedrich Merz speaking at the German stock exchange this week.
German Chancellor Merz is set to talk energy, arms and diplomacy on a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is traveling to Saudi Arabia, his first stop on a three-day visit to the Gulf region
German airline Lufthansa has announced fresh research into its Nazi past
Welcome to DW’s coverage of what Germany is talking about on Wednesday, February 4. You can catch up on yesterday’s news here.
Why is Merz visiting the Gulf region?
Jens Thurau
This week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit Saudi Arabia, then Qatar, and finally the Emirates — all within less than 72 hours. His aim is to deepen economic ties and secure reliable agreements at a time when Europe, and Germany in particular, can no longer be certain how much it can depend on the United States.
The magic word for German relations in the Gulf is, time and again: energy.
For decades, the Gulf states supplied oil to resource‑poor Germany, and since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, gas has become ever more crucial.
The EU has sharply reduced its reliance on Russian gas; today, liquefied natural gas (LNG) accounts for about 10% of Germany’s overall supply, with 30% of that in 2024 coming from the US. A share which, in the view of the German government, could well be reduced — if, for instance, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were to deliver more.
