German Chancellor Merz stated that they are in very difficult negotiations on the EU budget.

Merz made evaluations to journalists before the EU Leaders Summit held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

Stating that he is trying to ensure that Europe maintains its mobility and sovereignty, Merz said, "I would like to say this in advance because I see it as critical right now. We are in very difficult negotiations about the future financial situation of the EU." he said.

Merz stated that the proposal of Ireland, which holds the EU term presidency, regarding the EU budget is far from the level it wants to reach, and stated that the common budget should be significantly reduced compared to the European Commission's proposals.

Emphasizing that no EU member country is in a position to cover this contribution to the Union, Merz pointed out that the current proposal is over 50 percent of the amount financed within the scope of the Multiannual Financial Framework currently in force.

Merz pointed out that he does not expect an agreement to be reached on the budget issue in the coming days, and noted that he wishes to reach a conclusion on the EU budget by the end of the year, even though the views within the EU are quite far from each other.

Emphasizing that reducing bureaucracy in Europe and the financial structure of the EU are closely related issues, Merz said, "If we cannot significantly reduce the excessive bureaucracy in Europe, there will be no point in talking about money." he said.

Merz also stated that it is important to talk about the priorities they want to determine at the summit, and noted that these are the EU's competitiveness and defense issues.

Referring to the war in Ukraine, Merz said that the funds provided to Ukraine should be increased in order to provide permanent aid to this country.

Prime Minister Merz noted that they will continue to support Ukraine, and that they defend not only Ukraine's territorial integrity, but also the political order of Europe, which Russia puts under pressure from every angle.