German Chancellor Friedrich Merz flew to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to begin a Gulf tour as the largest EU economy aims to broaden its important trade and energy alliances.
In a chaotic world where US President Donald Trump has shaken traditional transatlantic security and economic connections, Germany is striving to solidify new partnerships globally.
Accompanied by a business delegation, the conservative leader will engage with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, before heading to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on a brief tour that wraps up on Friday.
“We require these partnerships now more than ever as major powers are playing an increasingly influential role in politics,” Merz stated prior to boarding his flight, noting that the Gulf could assist Germany in “diversifying our oil and gas supply chains.”
“While our partners may have different values and interests, they all recognize the necessity of having a dependable order in which we can rely on agreements and respect one another.”
Germany has historically exported military equipment and secured significant infrastructure agreements in the Gulf region, where the monarchies have utilized their energy wealth to invest in German corporate titans like Volkswagen and Deutsche Bank.
Following Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which resulted in a significant decrease in Russian energy supplies, Berlin looked to Doha to increase liquefied natural gas imports that helped it endure the subsequent winter.
Berlin has ramped up initiatives to reduce its dependency on American LNG and aims to rely more on green hydrogen produced from clean energy to meet its climate goals.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations have likewise been shifting to reduce dependence on oil and gas, making substantial investments in areas ranging from renewable energy to tourism, logistics, and artificial intelligence.
Merz stated that Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative "advances a bold modernization of the nation – economically, culturally, and socially." Significant advancements have been achieved. Undoubtedly, there is still a lot to accomplish, especially in terms of human rights. “We wish to talk about this as well.”