Friedrich Merz travels to Paris and Warsaw on Wednesday on his first foreign trip as German chancellor, still reeling from a humiliating setback in Tuesday’s government transition that raised early questions about his leadership.

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.

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.