Steinmeier's Call for German Independence in US Technology Relations

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has likened the start of Donald Trump's second term to the disruption caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, marking a significant shift in German foreign relations. He argued for Germany's need to establish greater independence from the United States, especially in defense and technology.

In his remarks at a Berlin event, Steinmeier stressed that Germany must apply lessons learned from reducing its reliance on Russia to its relationship with the U.S. This includes developing alternatives to U.S.-dominated technology, which poses concerns about foreign policy influence through digital platforms.

Steinmeier pointed to the dispute between the Pentagon and AI firm Anthropic as a potential catalyst for Europe to assert itself as a technology leader. He called on Europe to capitalize on its talent, markets, and ethical standards to strengthen its technology sector.