By Sarah Marsh and Matthias Williams BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday said Europe was prepared to fight if necessary for its core values of freedom and democracy, in an explicit riposte to the Trump administration's repeated criticisms of the European Union.

The two leaders are expected to discuss Germany's military assistance and ceasefire efforts, a German government spokesperson said.

Germany’s new ruling coalition agreed to push ahead with measures aimed at stimulating the struggling economy and to enact as much legislation as possible before leaving for summer break in mid-July.

A likely focus of talks between the two leaders will be military aid and whether Germany will provide Ukraine with the Taurus cruise missile.

Germany and Ukraine strike a deal to jointly develop weapons with "no range restrictions," as the Kremlin says Trump's jabs at Putin are due to him "not being informed." A 27-year-old man died in a motorcycle crash near Spring Grove over the weekend, the McHenry County Sheriff's Office said. Germany and Ukraine strike a deal to jointly develop weapons with "no range restrictions," as the Kremlin says Trump's jabs at Putin are due to him "not being informed." Kennedy's move appears to shortcut the CDC's outside vaccine advisers, dropping COVID vaccines from the list recommended for children and pregnant women.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine’s allies decided several months ago to drop restrictions on the use of the weapons they’ve provided to allow Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russia.

The chancellor is trying to create an alibi for a crime against humanity that he has supported more unconditionally than almost any other German politician for a year and a half—without changing his policies in the slightest.

Everything suggests that the military conflict on the Ukraine sees the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz as a historic chance to return Germany to a full-fledged military role in Europe. This was stated by Senator Alexei Pushkov.