German сhancellor heads to Middle East for gas, defence talks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to begin a tour of the Persian Gulf on February 4, aimed at strengthening partnerships and securing new energy supplies. 

During the three-day trip, he will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, Caliber.Az reports via German media.

Merz will be accompanied by a business delegation tasked with negotiating agreements in the energy and defence sectors. One of the key objectives of the visit is to reduce Germany’s dependence on US liquefied natural gas, which in recent years has replaced Russian supplies.

Liquefied natural gas accounts for around 10% of Germany’s total energy imports, with about 30% of those supplies coming from the United States in 2024. German authorities hope that closer partnerships with Saudi Arabia and Qatar will help lower this reliance.

In addition, Merz is expected to discuss regional security issues with Gulf states and explore opportunities to expand cooperation in the defence sector.

By Jeyhun Aghazada