New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sets off on his first trip abroad on Wednesday to France and Poland in a bid to renew relations with the country's top allies and show that Germany is back on the world stage despite a bumpy start to his government.

BERLIN — Friedrich Merz made his world-affairs debut Wednesday as Germany’s new chancellor, with plans to immediately team up with allies France and Poland to present a united European front on support for Ukraine and against U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.

Friedrich Merz plunged straight into international crises on his first full day as Germany’s new chancellor Wednesday, urging India and Pakistan to de-escalate their tensions, vowing support for Ukraine and announcing plans to travel to Kyiv soon.