German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has cancelled planned talks with US President Donald Trump. According to Berlin sources, a phone conversation between the two leaders was scheduled to take place on the eve of the anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York, but was dropped from the agenda at the last minute. The reason was Donald Trump's public remarks concerning the results of the regional elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, where the far-right party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) secured a record victory.
Reason for the cancellation: Trump's post on Truth Social
Merz's decision followed Donald Trump publicly congratulating the AfD on its success in the regional elections on the Truth Social network. The American leader called the result a "big night" and stated that Germans were tired of "terrible immigration rules." He ended the message with the slogan "MGGA!!!" — an abbreviation that can be translated as "Make Germany Great Again." In Berlin, such remarks were regarded as an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Berlin's position: it is not about schedules
The Chancellor's spokesperson emphasized that the cancellation of the call was not linked to the density of the two sides' working schedules. In Berlin, Friedrich Merz's clear position was recalled: Germany opposes any external interference in its domestic political affairs. Thus, the cancellation of the call was used as a demonstration of the principle of sovereignty and a signal that the results of national elections are not subject to public assessment by foreign politicians.
Context: the AfD's record result in Saxony-Anhalt
In the elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the far-right AfD received around 44% of the vote, outpolling Chancellor Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) by more than two to one. This result allowed the party to vie for power at the state level for the first time. Friedrich Merz called the AfD a "destructive force" and stated that the party would under no circumstances be able to secure a majority to form a government. Meanwhile, after the results were announced, AfD representative Ulrich Sigmund called for an end to military and financial support for Kyiv.
Impact on the Ukraine policy
Against the backdrop of these statements, Friedrich Merz assured that Germany would continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Experts, however, note that the AfD's victory in the elections could over time change the nature of Germany's aid to Ukraine and influence the overall attitude toward Ukrainian refugees in the Federal Republic of Germany. The cancellation of the call with Trump at such a moment heightens attention to how domestic political shifts in Germany will be reflected in transatlantic relations and in the course of support for Kyiv.
