Published: 12:23 AM, 10 May 2026
'Europe committed to preserving NATO'
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe remains firmly committed to preserving the North Atlantic Treaty Organization despite differences with the United States over the conflict involving Iran.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Merz said European countries are determined to keep the transatlantic alliance strong.
"We are really willing to keep this alliance alive for the future," he said.
Merz acknowledged that disagreements exist but stressed that Europe and the United States share the same objective: ending the conflict and ensuring that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons.
"We know that there are some differences. We know that we are seeing challenges, all of us," he said. "But our final goal is to bring this conflict to an end and to guarantee that Iran is not able to produce nuclear weapons."
He added that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a common goal for both Europe and the United States.
