The newly elected German chancellor vowed to tackle illegal migration as he made his first trip abroad since assuming office on Tuesday.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Warsaw on Wednesday to hold talks with Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The pair discussed issues of importance to the European Union, pressing international issues, defence and security, as well as German-Polish relations.
In a joint press conference after the two leaders’ closed door meeting, Merz stressed the importance of ensuring the EU’s border security, vowing to take measures to help tackle illegal immigration.
Friedrich Merz said Germany would join a initiative header by the Netherlands, Denmark and Italy to tighten EU migration policies.
“There is an initiative by several European countries, Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy, many countries have joined this initiative to tighten the European Asylum and Migration policies,” said Merz.
“My government, the new federal government will join this initiative. And we will try to reach decision together. We know that in the end we are living in a world, where we can give an answer only together in the entire European Union. And that is also the goal of the new federal government,” he added.
Tusk highlighted the need for Berlin to increase its defence expenditure to boost continental security.
“It is not easy, considering history, to say out loud, as a Polish prime minister, that I would very much like Germany to arm itself faster and more intensively," Tusk said.
“Armed Germany in Poland is not a popular slogan, but fortunately today we live in times when there is a different Germany, a different Poland, different threats.”
Merz says his government plans to station more police at the country’s borders to curb illegal migration and even turn away some asylum-seekers.