Kateryna Hirnyk 08:40, 16.07.25 UNIAN

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz became friends with Trump and spoke with him almost weekly

On Monday, US President Donald Trump announced a major arms package for Ukraine, financed by NATO countries, and threatened to impose additional economic sanctions on Moscow. According to The Wall Street Journal , this was the result of a months-long diplomatic campaign by European leaders aimed at convincing Trump to arm Kyiv and pressure Putin to start serious negotiations.

“Germany, France, the UK and other countries have stepped up engagement with the US government, while senior politicians have opened confidential channels of communication with key Trump administration officials,” the article notes.

In particular, Finnish President Alexander Stubb befriended Trump at a golf tournament in Florida. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Trump at the White House on June 5 and has spoken to him almost weekly since, according to German officials. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has sent encouraging text messages and also expressed support for Trump’s desire to uphold a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

European officials have also been building relationships with senior members of the U.S. Cabinet who are seen as more favorable to Ukraine—Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant and Secretary of State Marco Rubio—as well as a network of pro-Ukrainian Republican lawmakers.

Merz’s correct approach

Merz’s aides say the current chancellor has found it easier to reach out to Trump than previous German leaders, partly because of his ability to promise massive funding for US arms sales.

“Merz has found the right approach, and now he can talk to Trump on his mobile phone and engage in ‘checkbook diplomacy,'” said Nico Lange, a former senior official in the German Defense Ministry.Advertising

So, after the suspension of US arms supplies to Ukraine, Merz asked Trump for a phone call. The call took place on July 3, Trump called from the Oval Office, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined him. According to informed sources, Merz suggested that Germany buy two Patriot systems for Ukraine, since the US had stopped their export. At the same time, Trump did not seem to know about the decision to suspend arms supplies. “Pete, what’s going on?” he asked, according to sources familiar with the situation. A few days later, the Pentagon changed its position.

Later, after seeing footage of Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian cities late on the evening of July 11, Trump also called Merz on his cell phone to express his displeasure with Putin’s ongoing attacks.

“Merz, according to sources, was surprised, but quickly realized that Trump had lost patience with the Russian president. Trump said he was now ready to accept the offer Merz had made a few days earlier: to use German funds to purchase American weapons for Ukraine.”

At the same time, Trump reportedly offered to sell not two, but five Patriot systems in a conversation with Merz.

“The German leader immediately agreed, although, according to sources familiar with his thinking, he would have to discuss the funding with other European leaders,” the WSJ writes.

As a result, Germany will deliver two of its own Patriot systems to Ukraine and order a replacement from the U.S. Norway will buy one of the systems, and Rutte mentioned Canada, Denmark, and Finland as other potential participants.

Trump has changed his approach to Ukraine and Russia

The American leader said that Ukraine will receive weapons from the United States , but now European countries will pay for them. For their part, the European Union is considering the possibility of paying for the American arms package for Ukraine with the help of profits from frozen assets of the Russian Federation.

He also announced that he would impose secondary tariffs against the Russian Federation and its partners if there is no agreement on a peaceful settlement in Ukraine within 50 days.