Berlin, September 18 (QNA) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirmed that his country's economy was recovering and was expected to grow by around 1.3 percent this year.

In remarks on Thursday evening, Merz said that Germany had moved beyond the lowest point of the economic cycle and had emerged from the period of economic contraction or stagnation.

The German government had previously lowered its economic growth forecast for 2026 to 0.5 percent, following the sharp rise in oil and gas prices caused by the war in the Middle East.

In another context, the German Chancellor expressed his belief that relations between his country and the United States were undergoing a fundamental change.

Merz said the era of unconditional friendship across the Atlantic, which had existed since World War II, was likely coming to an end. He added that Germany was witnessing a change in the political stance on the other side of the Atlantic, as well as a shift in how the transatlantic alliance was viewed, something that might previously have been considered unimaginable. (QNA)