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.

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.

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'

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 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.

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.