Trump 'deliberately escalated' argument with Zelensky: Merz
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Germany’s likely next chancellor emphasizes the urgency of a "short-term decision" between the CDU/CSU and SPD on allocating a larger financial package for the armed forces in the coming days.
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CDU leader and top candidate for chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses a press conference after a CDU leadership meeting at the Konrad Adenauer Haus, headquarters of Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union, in Berlin on March 3, 2025 (AFP)
Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, stated on Monday that he believes US President Donald Trump intentionally escalated the heated confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a clash that has unsettled Kiev's allies.
Merz described Friday’s extraordinary White House exchange as an event that made it almost inevitable for Germany to increase its defense spending. He expressed optimism about reaching an agreement on the matter this week as part of coalition negotiations to form a new government.
"According to my assessment this was not a spontaneous reaction to what Zelensky was saying but clearly a deliberate escalation," Merz said at a press conference, describing the tone of the exchange as "unhelpful".
However, he noted that Trump’s stance reflected a "certain continuity" in US policy, particularly after Vice President JD Vance last month urged Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security.
Trump and Vance’s sharp remarks on Friday—demanding that Zelensky be "thankful" for US support against Russia and urging him to "make a deal" with Moscow—have alarmed Kiev's European allies.
Merz’s center-right CDU/CSU alliance, which emerged as the leading party in last month’s election, is currently in talks with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) to form a government.
"We want to do something for the German army and that's become even more clear after Friday's events at the White House," he indicated.
With growing calls for increased European defense spending and uncertainty surrounding US support for Ukraine, Berlin faces mounting pressure to bolster both its aid to Kiev and its own military capabilities.
Merz emphasized the urgency of a "short-term decision" between the CDU/CSU and SPD on allocating a larger financial package for the armed forces in the coming days.
Talks with the SPD have been "constructive", he said, adding that he expects initial agreements by Wednesday, ahead of an EU security summit attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil confirmed that his party is prepared to reach swift agreements this week. However, he stressed that in addition to defense spending, the party seeks a "common understanding of the major financing challenges facing our country."
According to multiple German media reports, the parties are considering the creation of two special funds—one for defense and another for infrastructure. These funds could be approved with a two-thirds majority in the current Bundestag, but securing that approval may become more complicated after the new parliament convenes on March 25.
Negotiators have reportedly reviewed economic assessments estimating that Germany’s military requires €400 billion ($419 billion) in funding, while infrastructure investments would require €500 billion.
Despite his strong transatlantic ties, Merz has underscored the necessity of greater European autonomy in defense policy in response to the Trump administration’s actions.
"I think we need to prepare to do much, much more for our own security in the coming years and decades," he indicated, while also insisting "that we must do everything we can to keep the Americans in Europe."
Read more: Germany must bolster military 'to be taken seriously,' says CSU leader
