Merz warns Russia seeks to undermine European democracies, vows stronger alliances

German Chancellor Merz has significantly escalated rhetoric against Russia, explicitly identifying it as Germany's greatest threat and accusing it of daily hybrid attacks and a broader strategy to destabilize European democracies. This marks a hardening of Berlin's stance, with Merz pledging continued support for Ukraine and stronger alliances, though the nature of future military aid remains ambiguous. The claims regarding daily hybrid attacks and a specific drone attack attribution are based on official statements and are partially confirmed, lacking independent verification of frequency or detailed attack specifics.