Germany's chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz on Tuesday urged lawmakers to pass a huge spending package for defence and infrastructure to strengthen the country over what he called Russia's "war of aggression against Europe".

German lawmakers have voted to allow a huge increase in defence and infrastructure spending - a seismic shift for the country that could reshape European defence. A two-thirds majority of Bundestag parliamentarians, required for the change, approved the vote on Tuesday.

The colossal spending package for defence and infrastructure came amid concerns about the extent of US support for European security.