There's no hitting the snooze button on this wake-up call. Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting is savouring victory in Sunday’s federal elections while taking stock of what he faces: with the Putin and Trump-backed far right finishing a strong second, Friedrich Merz is stating that his country and continent can no longer rely on the United States for their defence.

Merz is stepping out of the shadow of the woman who in a previous life beat him to the CDU's leadership. Back in her day, Angela Merkel tried the soft touch on both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. We ask what's changed since.

On the third anniversary of Putin's all-out invasion of Ukraine, the French president is in Washington for one last try at keeping the US on side, while leading the push for European strategic autonomy. Are we at a turning point for European defence?

Produced by Rebecca Gnignati, Elisa Amiri, Ilayda Habip.