German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has become the key European authority in the Ukraine crisis. His resolute stance makes Germany the most important counterweight to Russia on the continent.
By Stefan Braun
The Commission wants to sign a free trade agreement with Mercosur countries next Saturday. So far, there is no qualified majority in the Council and Parliament could still put a spanner in the works.
By János Allenbach-Ammann
The German Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP) is calling on municipalities to designate public shelters from March 2026. However, key questions regarding criteria and threat scenarios remain unanswered. Funding is largely the responsibility of the municipalities themselves.
By Lisa-Martina Klein
The NATO Secretary General will discuss the links between energy and security policy with EU energy ministers on Monday. In an interview with Table.Briefings, his chief advisor for hybrid threats explains the issues Mark Rutte will be discussing.
By Manuel Berkel
Education about sexuality, consent and prevention is still in its infancy in China. Young people – and women in particular – are slowly breaking with long-standing taboos. A Chinese-language tour through Berlin’s sex-positive scene offers a snapshot of where the debate currently stands.
By Fabian Peltsch
With the help of an emergency clause, a large majority of EU states have decided to place a long-term block on Russian state bank funds. This increases the likelihood of the Ukraine reparation loan, which could strengthen the EU’s role in the peace negotiations.
By Stephan Israel, János Allenbach-Ammann and Wilhelmine Stenglin
German and European arms companies are dependent on supplies of explosives from other continents. If a defense situation arose, the Bundeswehr would face serious problems, says an expert from the arms industry.
By Gabriel Bub
The EU states have found a way to block Russian state bank funds for the longer term. This improves the chances of the Ukraine reparation loan. An agreement at the summit here would be a prerequisite for the EU to be taken seriously in the US-led peace negotiations.
By Stephan Israel, János Allenbach-Ammann and Wilhelmine Stenglin
Ten years after the Paris Agreement, while the global transition away from fossil fuels is making progress, it is not yet fully established. This is what a new comprehensive report from 21 major economies shows. Part 2: Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan.
By Bernhard Pötter
With the eighth omnibus package, the Commission is laying its hands on environmental protection standards – on the same day that the European Environment Agency certifies that the EU is failing to meet its protection targets.
By Lukas Knigge
