Germany's Merz meets Saudi crown prince on first leg of Gulf tour

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Yamamah Royal palace in Riyadh, as he kicks off a Gulf tour. In a turbulent world where US President Donald Trump has rocked long-standing transatlantic security and economic ties, Germany is racing to cement alternative relationships worldwide.

Berlin has now accelerated efforts to lessen its reliance on American LNG and wants to increasingly bank on green hydrogen generated through clean energy to achieve its climate targets. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have meanwhile been moving to diversify away from oil and gas, investing heavily in sectors from renewables to tourism.