German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is visiting three Gulf states within just 72 hours. He is pursuing new "strategic partnerships" — as Germany's friendship with the United States is becoming increasingly fragile.
The fact that the key Gulf states — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — are currently held in high regard by the German government is evident from the steady stream of ministerial visits to their capitals. Only recently, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) traveled to Saudi Arabia; shortly thereafter, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) arrived and explained why: "When partnerships that one has relied on for decades begin to become a little fragile, we must look for new partners." Partners, for example, in energy and armaments projects.
Reiche signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Arabian energy minister and posted the news on X.
This week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit Saudi Arabia, then Qatar, and finally the Emirates — all within less than 72 hours. His aim is to deepen economic ties and secure reliable agreements at a time when Europe, and Germany in particular, can no longer be certain how much it can depend on the United States.
