Merz asked his chief of staff Thorsten Frei to replace him at an event he had to cancel to participate in the call, one of the sources said.
Bloomberg earlier reported that Merz would join other leaders on the call.
(Reporting by Andreas RinkeWriting by Friederike HeineEditing by Ludwig Burger)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) welcomes Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria (L) at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, 19 November 2025. Crown Princess Victoria is part of the Swedish delegation visiting Germany for the Berlin Security Conference. EPA/FILIP SINGER 