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... Merz said European nations must "use the pressure we are facing to create something new, something good" as he firmly rejected "big power politics," which he said are "not an option for Germany" or Europe.

"Leadership in partnership, yes. Hegemonial fantasies, no," Merz said.

The chancellor also pointed to what his country has learned from when Nazi Germany occupied much of Europe.

"Never again will we Germans go it alone. This is the enduring lesson we have learned from our history. We assert our freedom with our neighbors " only with our neighbors, our allies and our partners." ...