BERLIN, December 31. /TASS/. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in his New Year address that the upcoming year 2026 may be decisive for his country and Europe in General.

In a statement, released by the German government’s press service, the chancellor says the year 2026 "may become the year when Germany and Europe will rebound into decades of peace, freedom and prosperity." In his opinion, the year 2026 may be "the moment of a breakthrough."

The chancellor went on to say that "the world is changing rapidly," and these changes are affecting everyone. Among his country’s main challenges he named the conflict in Ukraine, which, in his opinion, "presents a direct threat to [Germany’s] freedom and security."

The chancellor said the German economy "is under pressure generated by the necessary reforms, high spending and international trade conflicts."

"We are witnessing the return of protectionism in the global economy. Our strategic dependence on raw materials is being used as a tool of geopolitical leverage against our interests more and more often," he said.