Strong Ukraine supporter will head German Foreign Ministry

Merz has nominated candidates for ministerial positions, including Katherina Reiche as Minister of Economy and Energy and Johann Wadephul as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Wadephul is a staunch European with strong ties to Germany's international partners in the EU and NATO, and a strong supporter of supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russian invasion. Wadephul, 62, is also close to the armed forces and served as a volunteer in the 1980s.

Thorsten Frei will become Merz's chief of staff as chancellor's minister, Patrick Schnieder will take over transport, and Karsten Wildberger will become minister of the new department for digitalization and modernization of the land.

The CDU is to sign the coalition agreement concluded last month with the SPD at a special congress to be held today in Berlin.

New coalitionThe

Christian Social Union (CSU) has already approved the agreement. In addition, a positive outcome is expected on May 1, when the SPD announces the results of an online vote among its approximately 360,000 members.

After that, the outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party will announce the composition of its cabinet. It is likely to include co-chairman Lars Klingbeil for the key post of finance minister and Boris Pistorius, who will retain his position as defense minister.

Merz is to receive the support of lower house lawmakers on May 6, after which he and his cabinet will be sworn in.

CSU leader and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder is expected to name three party ministers later at a press conference in Munich.

In the current German government, Annalena Baerbock of the Green Party is the head of the Foreign Ministry. She has frequently visited Kyiv and consistently supported Ukraine, and her position was stronger than that of Prime Minister Olaf Scholz of the SPD.