Interview Quotes

The Importance of Alliances and Partnerships

"So let us bear in mind, our greatest strength remains the ability to build partnerships and alliances among equals, based on mutual trust and respect."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:00:04

"I remind you, after 1945, the United States of America inspired us Germans to embrace this logic. On this foundation, NATO became the strongest alliance in history."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:00:07

"Democracies do not have subordinates. They have allies, partners, and trusted friends."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:03:30

The Shifting Global Landscape and Europe's Role

"In the 20th century, my country, Germany, went down this road to its bitter end. It pulled the world into a black bias."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:00:00

"We experience it daily in hybrid attacks in the Baltic Sea and in Russia's winter war against the people of Ukraine."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:00:47

"Firstly, in the new age of great powers, Europe must stand together resolutely and sovereignly. And secondly, we should not give up on NATO."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:01:54

"We have reached a new world of great powers in a new world of great powers. In this world is a rower wind. This world will us to hurt and dangers."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:02:43

"Europe has gotten the message. Germany has as well gotten the message. We must and will live up to these challenges."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:05:15

Economic Competitiveness and Reform

"We must make progress in four simultaneously areas. We must continue supporting Ukraine in its fight for just peace. We must become capable of defending ourselves on our own in Europe. We want to reduce dependencies that currently make us vulnerable. And fourth, we want to ensure that our economy can tap into its full potential for innovation and growth."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:04:29

"Instead, we are talking about strategically coordinated ties worldwide. Europe's trade ambitions are crystal clear. We want to be the Alliance offering open markets and trade opportunities."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:04:54

"The single market was once created to form the most competitive economic area in the world. But instead, we have become the world champion of over-regulation. That has to end."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:06:15

"At home, we are making Germany competitiveness again as a place for business and investment both, in industry and our many small and medium-sized enterprises."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:07:59

"0.2% is unsatisfactory for an economy like Germany."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:08:56

"We are faced with one big obstacle and that is productivity. Productivity of the German economy is more or less low for a decade now."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:09:27

The Urgency of Action and Optimism

"My guess is that only 10% of his proposals had been put in place over the last 18 months. So we have to do much more of that."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:08:26

"My impression is that my colleagues and partners in the European Council have really understood what is at stake."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:10:13

"And that is something we will talk about. We will have a meeting of the European Council tonight in Brussels to talk about all these challenges."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:10:57

"Let us be inspired by what is maybe the most important lesson of enlightenment. Our fate is in our hands. It is in our responsibility and our freedom to shape it."

— SPEAKER_01 • 00:05:38