Friedrich Merz said the astonishing White House confrontation on Friday made it almost inevitable that Germany would have to increase defence spending on its military.

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.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the presumptive next chancellor, believes US President Donald Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, deliberately provoked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their fiery White House exchange.

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance castigated President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine for not being grateful enough for U.S. aid. “You’re gambling with World War III,” Trump told Zelensky.

Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday he thought US President Donald Trump had deliberately escalated last week's angry clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky which shocked Kyiv'

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.