New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a reset in French-German relations to help Europe overcome the "enormous" security and economic challenges it faced during his first trip abroad since taking office to top ally France on Wednesday.

Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron — firm believers in the European Union and leaders of the continent's largest economies — used their first meeting since the German leader’s appointment Tuesday to show unity on Ukraine and other issues causing alarm in Europe. They vowed to strengthen the continent’s security and increase defense spending.

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.