Merz: White House confrontation with Zelenskyy was ‘deliberate escalation’

The future Chancellor of Germany and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, has described the tense exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US officials in the White House as a “deliberate escalation” orchestrated by the American side.

Merz, who closely analyzed footage of the Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, said he was struck by the tone of the conversation.

“In my opinion, the reaction to Zelenskyy’s words in the Oval Office was not spontaneous, but rather a calculated escalation,” Merz claimed. “I was very surprised by the tone—it did not bring any benefit.”

The CDU leader suggested that the confrontation was part of a broader pattern of developments in Washington, citing recent events, including the appearance of the American delegation at the Munich Security Conference.