German chancellor MERZ said in Brussels on the 16th that the EU should exercise fiscal restraint in talks on the next long-term budget and oppose proposals to expand the budget by about 50%. Speaking after a two-day EU summit, he called a large increase "financially unviable" and said any final number must be cut substantially from the European Commission's proposal. MERZ added on social media on the 15th that limited funds should be prioritized for defence and competitiveness.