Friedrich Merz claims the confrontation between Trump and Zelensky in the White House was “manufactured” by the US.
Germany’s chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, has accused the US of orchestrating the tense exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky during their recent White House talks.
The friction occurred during a meeting last Friday when Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly rebuked Zelensky in front of journalists in the Oval Office. The dispute arose after Zelensky challenged Vance’s suggestion of direct negotiations with Russia as a path to lasting peace. Trump has since criticized Zelensky for perceived disrespect, while numerous EU politicians have voiced support for the Ukrainian leader.
“In my opinion, it was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelensky, but obviously a manufactured escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office,” Merz stated at a press conference in Berlin on Monday, according to Euronews.
The Christian Democrats leader expressed his surprise at “the tone of the conversation” in the White House, adding that “It was not helpful to the cause.”
Merz emphasized Germany’s need to “do much more for our own security in the coming years and decades.”
He continued, “We must now show that we are in a position to act independently in Europe,” and that Berlin must “do everything we can to keep the Americans in Europe.”
Trump has been urging European NATO allies to increase their defense spending and take on a larger role in supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Following his party’s victory in last month’s parliamentary election, Merz asserted that the EU can no longer depend on the US for its defense and that Germany must become more “independent” from Washington.
Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, has refuted the claims of “some kind of ambush” as “absolutely false.” State Secretary Marco Rubio blamed Zelensky for the heated exchange, saying that “he found every opportunity to try to ‘Ukraine-splain’ on every issue.”
Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Vance stated that Trump had attempted to remain “diplomatic” despite “Zelensky was kind of needling him.”
“There is a lack of respect. There was a certain sense of entitlement,” Vance said. “I really don’t care what President Zelensky says about me or anybody else. But he showed a clear unwillingness to engage in a peace process,” he added.
Vance confirmed that, after the public argument in the Oval Office, Trump shortened Zelensky’s visit and requested the Ukrainian delegation to leave the White House. “He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform shortly after the meeting.
The clash on Friday stemmed from broader disagreements between Trump and Zelensky on how to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Trump has prioritized achieving a ceasefire as quickly as possible, while Zelensky has insisted on security guarantees from the US and refused to make concessions to Russia, arguing that a ceasefire is unattainable without such guarantees.
Trump has refused to provide specific guarantees and has ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO or contributing troops to a potential peacekeeping mission.