This was reported by Reuters, citing a German official. According to the source, the call took place on Thursday, July 3, and focused on arms supplies to Ukraine. The conversation was reportedly initiated by Chancellor Merz.The Pentagon has paused deliveries of U.S. Patriot air defense systems and other precision weapons to Ukraine over concerns about dwindling U.S. stockpiles, sparking alarm in Kyiv.The decision was quietly made last month by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby. While Kyiv warned that suspending arms shipments would embolden Russian aggression, the White House said the move aimed to “put America’s interests first following a Department of Defense review.”That same day, U.S. President Donald Trump held a separate telephone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. During the call, the U.S. president reportedly raised the issue of ending the war in Ukraine. In response, the Kremlin leader stated that Russia "will not give up on eliminating all the root causes of the confrontation."On July 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also spoke by phone with President Trump, with a particular focus on air defense and the protection of Ukrainian airspace.Chancellor Merz has reportedly expressed concern over a possible connection between Trump's call with Putin and Russia’s intensified strikes on Ukraine.