German Chancellor Merkel warns EU of deepest recession since World War II

German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that the European Union is approaching their deepest recession since World War II.

“The pandemic shows us how vulnerable Europe is,” Merkel told the European Union on Thursday, the Financial Times reported. “Therefore I want to stress to you that cohesion and solidarity in Europe were never as important as they are today.”

Merkel urged her fellow EU members to reach an agreement on their future budget, which includes a coronavirus recovery fund. She said member countries should show “solidarity” with those worst affected by the pandemic. 

The pandemic has also revealed their dependence on other countries. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously said Europe as a whole needs to be less economically beholden to the U.S. and China moving forward.

“The medical and economic consequences of the crisis are deepening the imbalances in the European community,” Merkel said, according to the Times. “We must not allow the economic prospects of the EU member states to drift apart as a result of the pandemic.”