Steffen Prößdorf via Wikimedia Commons
Adapting German Foreign & Security Policy to a New Threat Environment
Phyllis Berry
Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Phyllis Berry is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the American-German Institute. She was the National Intelligence Officer for Europe from June 2021 until March 2025. She also served at the National Intelligence Council as Acting NIO for Europe from July 2017 through April 2018, Deputy NIO from April 2018 through July 2020, and senior advisor on governance for the NIC’s Strategic Futures Group during 2015-16. She authored the European futures papers for the 2017 and 2021 NIC Global Trends reports. From late 2014 to mid-2015 she was Director for Ukraine at the National Security Council. Dr. Berry has a Ph.D. in comparative politics from Georgetown University and has taught European comparative politics, French politics, German politics, and comparative leadership.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s First Steps
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz entered office in May 2025 promising a more strategic and unified foreign and security policy to keep Germany safe, influential, and prosperous. Since then, he has used an intensive schedule of European and international meetings and engagements to establish himself on the European stage and develop a positive working relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. His strong messaging of support for Ukraine and the need for Europe to meet its security challenges have gained domestic and international recognition. Merz now must build upon this early, mostly symbolic success to add more substance to his approach and show that the government is truly adapting to a more dangerous international environment by strengthening Germany and Europe’s ability to act through concerted action, new resources, and institutional reform.
This publication is supported by AGI Foreign & Security Policy Program. It is adapted from a three-part series of essays published online in September 2025.
All statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the U.S. government. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. government authentication of information or endorsement of the author’s views.
