Chancellor Merz and NATO chief Mark Rutte meet in Münster as NATO receives Westphalian Peace Prize amid debate
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz joined NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Münster on October 1, 2026, for a visit to the German-Netherlands Corps and a high profile ceremony awarding the International Westphalian Peace Prize to NATO. The event highlighted Germany's growing public debate over defence policy and the alliance's role in European security.