Trump and Merz discuss Ukraine, Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea
The German and U.S. leaders agreed that the two waterways should be reopened quickly, according to a German government spokesperson.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the war in Ukraine and the situations in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. A German government spokesperson said they agreed the two waterways should be reopened quickly. The call took place amid reported domestic political pressure on Merz after the Alternative for Germany party’s strong showing in a September 2026 state election.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the war in Ukraine and developments in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea during a telephone call, according to a statement by German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius, cited by Anadolu and Iran’s IRNA.
Kornelius said the leaders discussed the next steps toward ending the war in Ukraine. The Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea were also among the subjects discussed, and the two sides agreed that both waterways should be reopened quickly.
The call had reportedly been scheduled for the previous week in connection with the September 11 attacks, but the German government canceled it without giving a reason and postponed it.
The conversation came amid political pressure on Merz following the Alternative for Germany party’s performance in a September 6, 2026 election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The party received 43.8% of the vote, while Merz’s Christian Democratic Union won 17.2%, according to the supplied report.
Merz was also reported to have canceled a planned trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, which was scheduled for the following Tuesday, as he faced growing domestic political and economic challenges.