German Chancellor Friedrich Merz canceled his trip to the United States and participation in the UN General Assembly debates

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has canceled his trip to the United States and will not take part in the high-level debates of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

A source in the German government explained that this is due to the need to remain in Berlin. However, the details of such a decision are not disclosed.

Worsening relations with the United States

Prior to this, Merz canceled a conversation with US President Donald Trump. The reason for the cancellation was not officially disclosed, but the demarche was announced a few hours after the head of the White House published the victory of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6. Then the AfD won the elections to the regional parliament with a result of 43.8 percent of the vote. The ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party led by Merz scored 17.2 percent.

Merz repeatedly objected to interference in Germany's internal affairs. However, the US President ignored the position of the German leader and said that the AfD is gaining popularity in Germany against the backdrop of “absolutely terrible immigration laws.” The American leader added that the winning party of the regional elections is on the rise.

After the demarche, Trump adviser Richard Grenell pointed out that Washington cannot trust the chancellor’s words. He noted that “Merz is furious that the Americans want the German government to pay its NATO obligations. He says one thing in Berlin and another in Washington,” the official wrote. He also reproached the German media for “allowing this duplicity to persist without exposing it.”

Russia also reacted to Merz’s decision to refuse dialogue with Trump and a trip to the United States. Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev. He called the German politician a “nervous federal chancellor.”

Before this, Russian President Vladimir Putin explained the victory of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt by the fact that the population of Europe is aware of the vector of the current German government towards a war with Russia. “Now they are saying that they are thinking about sending troops into the territory of Ukraine. This means war with Russia. And I understand that citizens of European countries understand what is happening. This, it seems to me, is what today’s results of the Federal Republic and the trends of political processes in Europe as a whole are based on,” said the head of the Kremlin.

Merz's internal problems

Regional elections continue in Germany. Having won a landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD is preparing to strengthen its position at the expense of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. According to an INSA survey, only seven percent of respondents are ready to vote for the CDU. The AfD's support level across the country is 30 percent, while the CDU is appealing to 20 percent of voters.

Amid growing support, Alternative co-chair Alice Weidel accused Merz of driving Germany into bankruptcy. She noted that in Germany the costs of servicing the public debt are rising, and there is also a risk that the state will soon lose its highest credit rating due to the “irresponsible policies” of the current authorities.