Parts of US national security strategy are ideology-driven, Merz says

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that the new US national security strategy released last week, which laments a decline in democracy and free speech in Europe, is partially driven by ideology, a spokesman said on Monday.

While Berlin agrees on many aspects laid out in the policy paper and continues to regard the United States as a partner, the Merz administration rejects the accusations levelled at the European Union which appear closer to ideology than strategy, deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille said in Berlin.

The new US national security strategy published by the Trump administration on Thursday claims Europe faces "civilizational erasure" and paints a bleak picture of freedom of expression on the continent, while no longer listing as a direct threat.

"The larger issues facing Europe include activities of the European Union and other transnational bodies that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent and creating strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence," the text states.

While it identifies ending the war in Ukraine as a key US interest, the document contains few critical remarks about Russia.

The paper stresses that ending hostilities is necessary "to stabilize European economies, prevent unintended escalation or expansion of the war" and calls for "strategic stability" with Moscow.

Hille said Merz doesn't share the view that Russia should no longer be considered a threat, but stressed that Germany remains united with its European partners in its assessment that "Russia is the greatest threat to stability, peace and freedom in Europe."

Politicians from across Europe as well as EU officials have pushed back against the strategy, which is further proof of the widening rift between Washington and its NATO partners across the Atlantic.