Trump and Merz discuss Ukraine, the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea
The German government says the two waterways should be reopened quickly
A report citing the German government says Trump and Merz discussed the Ukraine war, the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, agreeing that both waterways should be reopened quickly. The account also places the call amid reported political pressure on Merz following strong AfD results in Saxony-Anhalt. Details of any concrete decisions remain unavailable.
Verified facts: According to a statement attributed to German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius and reported by Anadolu via Iran’s IRNA, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.S. President Donald Trump held a telephone call focused on next steps toward ending the war in Ukraine. The statement also identified conditions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea as subjects of discussion, and said both sides agreed that the waterways should be reopened quickly.
The report says the call had been scheduled for the previous week but was postponed by the German government without a stated reason. It also says Trump had previously praised the performance of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saxony-Anhalt. The source reports that the AfD won 43.8% of the vote in the September 6, 2026 election, compared with 17.2% for the CDU, increasing political pressure on Merz. It further states that Merz canceled a planned trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly amid domestic political and economic challenges.
Interpretation: The reported agenda links the Ukraine war with the security and accessibility of two strategically important maritime routes. The reported agreement on reopening the waterways indicates a shared stated objective, but the account provides no details on the proposed measures, timeline, or whether the discussion produced a broader policy agreement. The report also frames the call against political pressure on Merz at home, including the AfD’s reported electoral performance and Trump’s earlier praise for the party.
Uncertainty: The available evidence consists of a single report relaying an attributed German government statement; no independent account, transcript, or statement from the U.S. side is provided. The evidence does not establish the precise security situation in either waterway, the meaning of “reopened,” or the concrete next steps on Ukraine. The report’s references to the timing of the postponed call and the September 2026 election are presented as factual claims by the source but cannot be independently verified from the supplied material.