Germany's Merz hails NATO unity on Russia, rejects AfD claims

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday called for unity in backing Ukraine against Russia -- within NATO, Europe and his own country where the far-right and Moscow-friendly AfD is on the rise.

"The security of Europe ... is at stake in Ukraine," Merz said. "If we fail to halt Moscow, the Russian war machine will sooner or later turn against us, against NATO itself."

Merz was speaking at a ceremony to award Germany's Westphalian Peace Prize to NATO and acknowledged that the fact it "is going to a military alliance has surprised some people".

But he argued that the transatlantic alliance has prevented military conflict with Russia and as such "serves the cause of peace" which was under threat from "Russia's violent, expansionist revisionism".

Merz said "unity and strength remain prerequisites for successful negotiations with Moscow. And this can only encourage us to keep the United States of America by our side in our policy regarding Ukraine".

Merz said a united front was also needed in Germany, where the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has made strong gains in recent state elections and leads nationwide polls.

"We in Germany, too, will not allow ourselves to be divided," Merz said. "Not by hybrid attacks, not by social media agitation driven by Moscow-controlled bots, and ... not by the slogans of the AfD and its Russian backers."

The AfD wants Berlin to halt military and financial support for Ukraine and lift sanctions against Russia while restoring dialogue.

Merz stressed that "we want stable, predictable relations with Russia at an appropriate time".

But he also argued that for now, as the Ukraine war nears its fifth winter, Western allies must keep backing Kyiv militarily.

Merz warned that if the Ukraine war were to end with a peace "dictated" by Russia, "that would bring the threat of mass migration toward the West... Europe would become an insecure continent."

He also rejected charges "that German aid to Ukraine comes at the expense of prosperity in our own country".

"Our support for Ukraine is not an end in itself. We provide it, above all, to protect the freedom and security of the people in our country," Merz said. "Freedom and security are prerequisites for our prosperity."

Accepting the prize on behalf of NATO, the organisation's Secretary-General Mark Rutte echoed Merz's message urging the alliance's members to stay at Kyiv's side.

"Keep calm, carry on and support Ukraine," Rutte said.

"Putin wants to intimidate and divide us, but he will fail."

Rutte also urged NATO members to ramp up defence spending and research, warning: "Speed is of the essence; Russia and China are racing ahead."

"Increased defence production is not about warmongering. It's about making sure we keep our people safe and Ukrainians strong in their fight for freedom."