Chancellor Merz Interrupts Zelensky Who Comes to Berlin Dressed in Prison Attire

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz interrupted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech during their joint press conference due to issues with the simultaneous translation.

Zelensky began his address, but just a few seconds in, Merz stopped him, saying he couldn't hear the translation in his earpiece.

"You don't have translation? Still not? Now you have?" the Ukrainian leader wondered.

Merz responded with a joke about "modern German technology” in light of the technical glitch, prompting laughter from the audience. The issue was resolved shortly afterward.

Zelensky then turned to Merz and asked if everything was working properly. Merz, apparently mishearing or playing on the phonetics, replied: "Deutschland” — the German word for "Germany” — causing the room to burst out laughing again.

Zelensky's Outfit in Berlin Ridiculed Again

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's outfit at the meeting with Chancellor Merz drew attention and comparisons to prison attire. According to RIA Novosti, Zelensky departed from his usual military-style clothing and opted for a black jacket instead. Journalists likened his clothing to prison uniforms or security guard workwear.

Zelensky's visit to Germany included meetings with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. However, German media reported that the visit would not result in a decision to supply Ukraine with Taurus long-range missiles.

Back in March, Zelensky was also criticized for his outfit during a meeting with US President Donald Trump. A White House reporter asked Zelensky, who typically appears in casual attire, whether he owned a suit.

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Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz (; German: [joˈaxɪm ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈmɛʁts]; born 11 November 1955) is a German politician serving as Chancellor of Germany since 6 May 2025. He has also served as Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since January 2022, leading the CDU/CSU (Union) parliamentary group as Leader of the Opposition in the Bundestag from February 2022 to May 2025. Merz was born in Brilon in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in West Germany. He joined the Young Union in 1972. After finishing law school in 1985, Merz worked as a judge and corporate lawyer before entering full-time politics in 1989 when he was elected to the European Parliament. After serving one term he was elected to the Bundestag, where he established himself as the leading financial policy expert in the CDU. He was elected chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in 2000, the same year as Angela Merkel was elected chairwoman of the CDU, and at the time they were chief rivals for the leadership of the party, which led the opposition together with CSU.