Germany’s Friedrich Merz, poised to be his country’s next chancellor, said he thinks the explosive exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump on Friday resulted from a “deliberate escalation” by the U.

In stunning scenes on Friday that sent political shockwaves across Europe, Zelenskyy was mocked and belittled by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who accused him of not doing enough to end Moscow’s full-scale invasion and being ungrateful for American aid.

Friedrich Merz said the astonishing White House confrontation on Friday made it almost inevitable that Germany would have to increase defence spending on its own military. He said he was hopeful of reaching an agreement this week on the terms of an increase as part of coalition talks to form a new government.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who will likely become Germany's next chancellor, called Friday's dispute between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance a "manufactured escalation.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the German Christian Democratic Party and projected next chancellor, believes that the dispute in the White House during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was deliberately caused by the US side.