Federal Chancellor Merz attends EPC summit in Brussels

16.05.2025: Federal Chancellor Merz attends EPC summit in Brussels

Tirana (dpa) – The heads of state and government of nearly 50 countries are meeting in the Albanian capital Tirana this Friday for the sixth summit of the European Political Community (EPC). Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz will be among those attending. It is his first major summit since taking office last week. The main issue on the agenda is the ongoing efforts to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Talks are also planned on boosting the international competitiveness of the European economy and promoting an open Europe with secure external borders.

The EPC summit is a dialogue platform launched by French President Emmanuel Macron. This time, leaders from 47 countries have been invited to attend. Alongside the 27 EU member states, these include countries such as the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Switzerland and Georgia. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is also expected to travel to Tirana.

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15.05.2025: Germany calls for a sharp increase in military spending

Antalya (dpa) – Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called for a massive increase in defence spending by NATO member states, proposing that each country allocate five percent of its economic output. Speaking after a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a NATO foreign ministers’ summit in Turkey, Wadephul said that Germany shared US President Donald Trump’s assessment that an increase of this kind was necessary.

However, Wadephul also indicated that an agreement could be reached whereby the existing level of defence spending of 3.5 percent of GDP would be considered sufficient, providing an additional 1.5 percent was invested in military-related infrastructure. This idea was recently proposed by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The current NATO target for defence spending is a minimum of two percent of GDP per year.

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14.05.2025: Reiche at Energy Council meeting in Warschau

Warsaw (d.de) – At the meeting of EU energy ministers in Warsaw, German Economics and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche (photo) stressed the will of the new German government to increase European cooperation on energy policy. “Security of supply is essential - as the recent blackout in the Iberian Peninsula made abundantly clear to all of us. That is why we now need a reality check for reliable and affordable energy in Europe,” Reiche said. The minister explained that European countries needed “to jointly strengthen supply chains for energy resources, reduce our dependencies on third countries and enable innovation”.

Among other things, the EU energy ministers discussed the situation in Ukraine. Reiche reiterated that Germany and its partners were standing “firmly by Ukraine’s side”.

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13.05.2025: UN secretary-general to attend peacekeeping conference in Berlin

Berlin (dpa/d.de) - UN Secretary-General António Guterres is visiting Berlin to attend the United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial, which this year is being hosted by Germany for the first time. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will welcome the secretary-general for talks at the Federal Chancellery on Wednesday. At Germany’s invitation, representatives of more than 130 states will come together in Berlin on Tuesday and Wednesday to make concrete pledges and place UN peacekeeping missions on a solid foundation. 

Ahead of the conference, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius promised Germany’s support to the UN. “Germany continues to participate in blue helmet missions,” the minister said. Currently, nearly 70,000 UN peacekeepers from 120 countries are serving in eleven UN missions. Of these, some 55,000 are military personnel, some 1,100 are civilian experts and some 6,000 are police officers.

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12.05.2025: Wadephul steps up pressure on Putin

London (dpa) - German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has left it open whether Germany would be willing to supply long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Kyiv if Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to agree quickly to a ceasefire in Ukraine. “Moscow should not underestimate the West’s willingness to exert a great deal of pressure now,” the German foreign minister said. Wadephul is meeting with the foreign ministers of the Weimar+ group in London. UK Foreign Minister David Lammy will be welcoming not only Wadephul to London, but also representatives of France, Italy, Spain, Poland and the EU, as well as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

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09.05.2025: New government pledges support for Ukraine

Lviv (dpa) - According to Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Germany will continue to be among Ukraine’s biggest supporters. “Ukraine can rely on Europe and everyone in Moscow must understand that they will have to deal with us,” said the CDU politician during an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in the Polish capital Warsaw. “Europe will defend and support Ukraine with all available means.” Shortly beforehand, the new foreign minister had arrived in Ukraine with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot. He will be taking part in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in the West Ukrainian city of Lviv today (Friday)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had also discussed the Russian attack on Ukraine during a telephone call with US President Donald Trump. After the call, it was reported that Russia now needed to agree to a ceasefire to create space for negotiations and that Trump had said that he intended to support the European peace efforts. During the conversation, Merz invited Trump to visit Germany.

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08.05.2025: Merz and Tusk reaffirm German – Polish friendship

Warsaw (dpa) – Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has travelled to Warsaw for the second foreign visit of his term in office. Merz and Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke to the press about their close relationship, while also openly addressing controversial issues. “It is very satisfying for me that you made time to come to Warsaw on your very first day in office,” said Tusk in his welcome remarks. “Thank you very, very much for the warm reception,” Merz replied, according to a report in the FAZ. The two leaders agreed to expand the rail links between their countries, and also to strengthen NATO infrastructure in the event of conflict.

Merz explicitly pledged support to Poland in securing EU’s external borders. He said he was confident that “good solutions” could be found on this issue. Tusk firmly rejected Germany’s plans to introduce border checks aimed at turning away asylum seekers. “Germany will let in whoever it chooses. Poland will only let in those it accepts,” Tusk said.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt previously ordered stricter controls and turnbacks at the borders, including of asylum seekers, to combat illegal migration. Dobrindt stated that not every asylum seeker stopped by the Federal Police would be turned back, however. Speaking in Poland, Merz said the border checks would be “organised in a way that is acceptable to our neighbours”.

At the beginning of their meeting, Merz addressed the destruction of Poland, and in particular of Warsaw, and the murder of millions of Poles under German occupation. “We acknowledge our responsibility for this immeasurable suffering and this very grave guilt,” said Merz, adding that Germany would never forget the victims.

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07.05.2025: Heads of state and government congratulate Merz

Berlin (d.de/dpa) – The election of Friedrich Merz as Federal Chancellor attracted worldwide attention. Numerous heads of state and government congratulated the new Federal Chancellor on his appointment, and media outlets around the world focussed on the change in government in Germany. “Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Amtsantritt, lieber Herr Bundeskanzler,” wrote the French President Emmanuel Macron on X, congratulating Merz in German. “It is up to us to make the German-French motor and reflex stronger than ever before,” Macron wrote, calling for the two countries to build upon their existing partnership.

The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote: “I look forward to working together to deliver national and economic security for people in both our countries.”

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy congratulated Merz “sincerely” and expressed his hope that there would be "more German leadership".

China's state leadership did not only congratulate, but it also signalled its openness to an increase in collaboration. The People’s Republic was willing to start a new chapter in the two sides’ “strategic partnership” said head of state and party leader Xi Jinping.

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05.05.2025: First National Ocean Conference in Berlin

Berlin (d.de) – The first National Ocean Conference is starting tomorrow in Berlin. Experts, decision makers, and representatives of businesses and associations from around the world are coming together to discuss global protection and a sustainable use of oceans. The theme of the event is "Living Oceans".

Climate change, overfishing and pollution of the seas are among the key challenges that are to be discussed at the conference. A particular focus will be on the role of international treaties and multi-lateral agreements that are essential components of global ocean protection.

Germany's contributions to the UN Ocean Conference that is taking place in Nice in June 2025 are also part of the agenda. As an active member of a number of international partnerships, Germany promotes the development of global ocean protection solutions.

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02.05.2025: Germany and the USA: Holocaust dialogue

Berlin/Washington (d.de) – The Federal Foreign Office in Berlin has announced that the governments of the USA and the Federal Republic of Germany have set further milestones in their Holocaust dialogue. The two governments established the dialogue at the ministerial level in 2021, aiming to combat Holocaust denial and misinformation as forms of anti-Semitism that undermine societal cohesion, freedom, democracy and security. The goal of the dialogue is to find innovative ways to promote awareness raising concerning the Holocaust, for example by means of local initiatives. Planning provides for knowledge about the Holocaust to be made more readily available in future, and for such information to be based on historic facts. Among other things, courses about the Holocaust are now a fixed annual component of the Program on Applied Security Studies, the flagship of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. The US Foreign Ministry, the Federal Foreign Office, the German Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Foundation and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum are all taking part in the dialogue.

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30.04.2025: Pistorius: Cyber attacks are a serious threat

Kalkar (dpa) - Executive Defence Minister Boris Pistorius wants to ramp up defence against cyber attacks. “These attacks have a clear purpose. They’re an element of hybrid warfare. They serve to disconcert our society, to weaken and thus of course to destabilise our democracy”, said Pistorius during a visit to the international “Locked Shields” Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Kalkar, Lower Rhine region.

The German army’s cyber defence team is participating in the exercise with 36 other nations, including countries from the Indo-Pacific. The current exercise is described as the world’s largest and most complex multinational exercise conducted by NATO. Real-time attacks are simulated and have to be thwarted. Police and security agencies from Germany are also involved. The experience gained from Locked Shields could in future also bolster the German National Cyber Defence Centre, says Pistorius.

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29.04.2025: Tamar Kinzurashvili receives Freedom of Speech Award

Berlin (d.de) – Tamar Kinzurashvili from Georgia received the 2025 Freedom of Speech Award of Deutsche Welle (DW), the Federal Republic of Germany's foreign broadcasting service. The human rights activist had been resolutely fighting disinformation despite rising pressure, said DW in its explanatory statement. When Georgia announced its independence in 1991, it was clear for Tamar Kinzurashvili that she would get actively involved in promoting democracy. Kinzurashvili used to work as a journalist. She is now the managing director of a non-governmental foundation for media development in the capital city of Tbilisi, which advocates for human rights and freedoms. As part of her work, she holds workshops on fact checking and to counteract hate speech. She reports that her work is getting increasingly difficult as the situation in Georgia is becoming more and more repressive. The DW honours the 55-year-old's dedication by presenting this year's Freedom of Speech Award to her. Aiming to raise awareness of the reduced press freedom and precarious human rights situation in many parts of the world, the DW has been awarding the prize to journalists and human rights activists since 2015.

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28.04.2025: Pistorius: peace in Europe is at stake in Ukraine 

Berlin (dpa) – Acting Defence Minister Boris Pistorius believes that US President Donald Trump's proposal for Ukraine to give up large portions of land to Russia is going to far. “Ukraine could have got a year ago what was included in that proposal, it is akin to a capitulation,” Pistorius said in a TV interview. Pistorius assured Ukraine that Germany would be providing further miliary aid, also in the event of such aids being suspended by the USA. “If Ukraine falls, if Putin wins this war by occupying Ukraine or even just large shares thereof, it will pose a maximum threat to NATO territory, as well as to countries such as Moldova or Georgia,” Pistorius stated. He added that everybody had to realise that “it's not just about solidarity with Ukraine, but also about our security and peace in Europe”.

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25.04.2024: World War remembrance in Torgau

Torgau (dpa) – The town of Torgau in northern Saxony will mark the historic meeting of American and Soviet troops at the end of the Second World War this Friday. Saxony’s state premier Michael Kretschmer will be among those speaking at the commemorative event. A wreath-laying ceremony is also planned. Every year on 25 April, Torgau commemorates the so-called Elbe Day when US and Soviet soldiers met on the destroyed Elbe bridge. The photograph of the “Torgau handshake” became a global symbol of the end of the Second World War and the liberation from Nazi tyranny.

Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev has also announced his intention to attend the ceremony. In the light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, however, his presence has met with little enthusiasm. Torgau’s Lord Mayor Henrik Simon stated that Nechayev would not be given a speaking slot.

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24.04.2025 Demand: Israel must allow humanitarian aid into Gaza

Berlin (d.de) – Germany, France and the United Kingdom have “strongly urged” Israel to “immediately resume the rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.” In a joint statement, the three countries said: “For more than fifty days now, Israel has been completely blocking access for humanitarian aid to Gaza. (…) The Palestinian civilian population – including one million children – is directly threatened by hunger, disease and death. This must stop.” They also condemned the Israeli attacks: “We once again express our outrage at the recent attacks by Israeli forces on humanitarian personnel, infrastructure, facilities and healthcare services.” At the same time, they called on Hamas to release all hostages without delay.

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23.04.2025: Western allies discuss peace in Ukraine 

London (dpa) – Ukraine and its allies, including Germany, are meeting today for talks at advisory level in London. An originally planned meeting of foreign ministers has been postponed, the British Foreign Office announced. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said ahead of the meeting that the UK was working with the US, Ukraine and Europe to achieve peace and put an end to Russian President Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion. Germany will be represented in London by Jens Plötner, Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the Federal Chancellor, and Günter Sautter, Political Director at the Federal Foreign Office.

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22.04.2025: BDI president: US is dependent on Europe 

Berlin (dpa) – Peter Leibinger, the president of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), has warned against a tariff conflict with the USA and appealed for dialogue on an equal footing. He said that the US was dependent on Europe in certain economic sectors. Mechanical engineering, for example: “Around 70 percent of the precision components produced in America are manufactured using German or European machines,” Leibinger said in an interview. “There are essentially no American tool machine manufacturers any longer,” he added. He said that the USA was also dependent on Europe for process sensors “that are needed for every refinery, every pharmaceuticals company - this is done by just a handful of firms from Germany”.

Leibinger said that Europe needs on the one hand to make offers, while the EU must at the same time understand and if necessary utilise its “negotiating tools”. “America is dependent on Europe in many areas and will remain so,” said the BDI president.

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16.04.2025: Luftwaffe joins exercise in Arabian Peninsula 

Nörvenich (dpa) - For the first time since 2012, the German Luftwaffe - the country’s air force - is taking part in an exercise involving fighter jets in the United Arab Emirates. Tornado jets took off from Nörvenich air base to join the Desert Flag 2025 manoeuvre in the Arabian Peninsula. Germany’s aim is to strengthen its relations with the nations of the Arabian Peninsula.

The Luftwaffe initially dispatched eight Tornado jets to take part in the exercise, which will begin in a few days’ time. Together with the air forces of other nations, complex aerial warfare scenarios, low-altitude flights and cooperation with Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) will be practised. JTACs are soldiers who are stationed on the ground and direct combat aircraft to their targets.

The USA, the UK, France, Australia, South Korea, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, India and Turkey are also taking part in Desert Flag 2025.

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15.04.2025: Germany supports Sudan

Berlin/London (dpa) – Two years after the start of the bloody civil war in Sudan, the Federal Government has pledged further aid for the African country, where millions of people are on the run and suffering from hunger. Germany is providing an additional 125 million euros in humanitarian aid to enable international and local organisations to deliver urgently needed food and medicine to those in need, acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in Berlin. 

Baerbock is attending a Sudan conference in London today, co-hosted by Germany, the UK, France, the EU and the African Union. The goal in London, said Baerbock, is to work with African partners to identify ways to ensure full humanitarian access, protect civilians, and move towards a political solution.

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14.04.2025: Germany funds hydrogen project in Namibia

Berlin/Arandis (d.de) - In future, climate-friendly green iron will be made in Namibia using renewably produced hydrogen. Thanks to the Oshivela project (also known by the name HyIron), the first industrial carbon-free production plant on the African continent has gone into operation. The German Economics Ministry provided around 13 million euros in funding to support the project.

The technology used at Oshivela can produce direct reduced iron - this means that iron ore is turned into iron without the need for carbon-intensive melting in a blast furnace. The plant will produce around 15,000 tonnes of green iron per year and is therefore expected to save more than 20,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. There are already plans to expand the plant.

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11.04.2025: Pistorius pushes ahead with military service plans

Berlin (dpa) – Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is speeding up the introduction of a new military service model in Germany, not least in connection with the expansion of European defence capabilities. “We’ve been working on the relevant foundations on an ongoing basis in recent months, so the next steps can follow immediately after the next government is formed,” said the minister in Berlin.

The first step will involve the resumption of conscription registration and monitoring. “As soon as the legislative process is finalised, we will be able to take on and train the first conscripts,” said Pistorius.

The CDU/CSU and SPD are looking to introduce a new military service model, initially based on voluntary service. “It is our assumption that with an attractive model of military service, we will be able to attract a sufficient number of volunteers. If this is not the case one day, a decision will have to be made to call up young men on a compulsory basis," said Pistorius.

Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in July 2011 after 55 years.

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10.04.2025: Pistorius: Germany will take on more of a leadership role

Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said that the threat to peace in Europe is more dramatic than it has been for decades. “The challenges we are all facing in Germany and Europe are unprecedented,” Pistorius said ahead of a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. The group, which is led by France and the UK, wants to use today’s meeting to push forward its plans to support Ukraine.

Beforehand, Pistorius, who looks set to remain in his post as defence minister in Germany’s new government, had commissioned the Bundeswehr’s Joint Forces Operations Command (OFK) in Berlin. At the ceremony, he said that Germany needed to do more for security in Europe, and that it would tackle this together with its European partners and NATO allies.

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09.04.2025: Saxony and Egypt inaugurate joint university in Cairo

Cairo (d.de) - The German state of Saxony is expanding its cooperation with Egypt in the field of education: the Saxony Egypt University will be officially inaugurated today in Cairo. Premier of Saxony Michael Kretschmer, who will be in Cairo with a Saxon delegation, said that relations between Saxony and Egypt were of great importance for the economic development of Saxony and for scientific exchange. Modelled on Germany’s dual system, teaching at the new university will be based on German curricula and provided by German experts. Courses, which will initially be offered in vehicle technology, inventory management and logistics, geriatric care, computer security, general health and sports management, will be taught in both English and German.

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08.04.2025: Khartoum process: Keul in Cairo

Berlin/Cairo (d.de) – Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Katja Keul is travelling to Cairo today for a ministerial meeting under the Khartoum Process, a migration dialogue forum between the EU and the African Union (AU). It will involve 39 member states discussing migration routes in eastern and northern Africa.

As the host and chairing country, Egypt is endeavouring to adopt a final document (“Cairo Declaration”) with an associated action plan. The focus is on strengthening safe and regular migration, combating human smuggling and trafficking, safeguarding human rights and protecting refugees, sustainable return and reintegration, reducing the causes of flight, and promoting the role of women, young people and the diaspora.

In Cairo, Keul will visit a UNHCR registration centre for refugees as well as the Goethe Institute and the German Archaeological Institute – both flagships of German foreign cultural and educational policy. Bilateral talks are also planned with Sudan and Egypt.

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07.04.2024: Germany increases aid for WHO

Berlin (dpa) - To mark World Health Day on 7 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the global maternal mortality ratio has plunged by 40 percent within less than 25 years. At the same time, it warned of the impact that cuts to humanitarian aid would have on poorer countries.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach had previously announced that his country would be providing WHO with an additional two million euros. Germany is one of the biggest donors among the member states, in terms of both its assessed and voluntary contributions to WHO. This additional funding for WHO on top of the contributions already made by Germany amounts to 317 million US dollars for 2024/2025. “The World Health Organization is indispensable - for worldwide health monitoring, pandemic prevention, disease control and equitable access to health care,” said Lauterbach.

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04.04.2025: Baerbock stresses solidarity with Ukraine

Brussels (dpa) - Against the backdrop of the USA’s insistence on significantly higher defence spending, Germany has emphasised Europe’s increased efforts for the transatlantic alliance. “In my view, there has not been such European solidarity in this form for Ukraine in recent years,” said Germany’s acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during talks between NATO foreign ministers and her US counterpart Marco Rubio in Brussels.

Baerbock said that further pledges on the part of Germany and many other countries meant that defence spending was on a trajectory to exceed three percent of the gross domestic product of all Europeans. This path would continue to be followed, she added. She described the increased investments by Europeans as “also investments in joint transatlantic security” . 

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04.04.2025: Amtsberg: Clear mines as quickly as possible 

Berlin (d.de) – “A safe future starts here”: this is the motto of this year’s International Mine Awareness Day, which is being marked today. “Together with the states concerned, we must ensure that mines and unexploded ordnance are cleared as quickly as possible and that survivors receive immediate support. Coordinated cooperation between all stakeholders is essential for this,” says Luise Amtsberg, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid. According to the United Nations, more than 100 million people worldwide are live under threat of land mines, explosive remnants of war such as unexploded ordnance and booby traps. They kill civilians, block vital humanitarian aid and have long-term social and economic consequences. As the second largest bilateral donor, Germany has supported humanitarian mine and ordnance clearance worldwide by providing 70 million euros per year in recent years.

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03.04.2025: Habeck on US tariffs: negotiate first

Berlin (dpa) – The acting Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck fears the tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump will have devastating consequences. “The US tariff mania can set off a spiral that has the potential to drag countries into recession and cause massive damage worldwide,” said the minister. “We have always pushed for negotiations, not confrontation.” Habeck said he welcomed the fact that the EU Commission would continue to aim for a negotiated solution with the USA. If the USA did not want a negotiated solution, the EU would give a clear answer, added the minister. 

Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel also believes that global economic stability is at risk, saying that tariffs would put the global economy “on the wrong track”.

Trump’s criticism of allegedly “unfair” trade relations is mainly based on bilateral trade deficits. According to economists such as Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman, however, this is misleading: the deficits do not pose an economic problem, demonstrating above all that foreign capital is keen to invest in the USA.

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02.04.2025: Steinmeier in Azerbaijan

Baku (dpa) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is concluding his trip to the South Caucasus with a one-day visit to Azerbaijan. He is meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in the capital Baku. The most important point of discussion is likely to be the peace process that has been initiated between the ex-Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia, which have been locked in conflict for decades.

Both countries recently agreed to the draft version of a peace treaty. The treaty has not yet been signed, however. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan had assured the German president that his country was working hard to get the treaty signed. He said that any remaining difficulties could be overcome.

Steinmeier wants to learn in Baku whether the Azerbaijani side takes the same view. So far, Baku has said that it will only sign the treaty if Yerevan first amends its constitution. In it, there is a reference to the conflict region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which Azerbaijan took control of in 2023. 

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01.04.2025: Baerbock in Kyiv: do not fall for Putin’s tactics

Kyiv (dpa) - Germany’s acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (photo left) has warned the USA not to fall for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s tactics in the negotiations with Russia on a ceasefire in Ukraine. “It is Putin who is playing for time, does not want peace and is continuing his illegal war of aggression,” the minister said at the start of her farewell visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. According to Baerbock, Germany is making another 130 million euros available to Ukraine for humanitarian aid and stabilisation measures in view of the continuing Russian attacks.

Ukraine is ready for an immediate ceasefire, said Baerbock. Talking about Putin, she said: “He feigns a willingness to negotiate but is not deviating an inch from his goals. We must not allow ourselves to be blinded by Putin and his cronies. After all, a suggestion of peace does not yet constitute peace.” She said that it would be made clear to the US side at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday “that we are not willing to engage with Putin’s stalling tactics.”

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31.03.2025: Steinmeier visits Armenia

Yerevan (dpa) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has begun a two-day visit to Armenia. In the morning, he was welcomed by President Vahagn Khachaturyan with military honours to the capital Yerevan (photo). Steinmeier is the first German president ever to pay an official visit to this South Caucasian country. Khachaturyan therefore spoke of a “historic day”. A meeting is also planned with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. 

Steinmeier hopes that his visit will encourage Armenia’s political leadership to continue along its path towards rapprochement with Europe. The parliament recently adopted a law to initiate the country’s accession process to the European Union. This is a controversial issue domestically, however.

Another topic to be discussed is the peace treaty negotiated between Armenia and Azerbaijan. So far, it has not been signed because certain prerequisites set by Azerbaijan have not been met. Steinmeier will visit Azerbaijan on Wednesday. He intends to appeal to the two ex-Soviet republics in the southern Caucasus, which have been locked in conflict for years, to conclude the peace process.

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28.03.2025: Baerbock: leave sanctions against Russia in place

Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is opposed to the lifting of sanctions against Russia until a peaceful regulation has been agreed for Ukraine. “Those who pressure Ukraine to surrender are not negotiating peace but paving the way for the next escalation,” the minister said at a meeting with her Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna in Berlin (photo). The response to Putin’s war, she said, was “peace through strength, peace through European unity and determination.” She described the EU Commission’s proposals for a European defence industry as an important signal in this context. “A European defence union is not a question of if but of when,” according to Baerbock.

Tsahkna warned that no deals or agreements could be made without Kyiv during the talks between the USA and Russia on a peaceful solution in Ukraine. During his visit, Estonia’s foreign minister awarded Baerbock the Estonian Order of Merit, First Class, for her role in helping to preserve European values, support Ukraine and strengthen regional security.

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27.03.2025: Scholz attends Ukraine summit in Paris

Paris (dpa) - French President Emmanuel Macron already met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday evening, ahead of the “Coalition of the Willing” summit. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will also be at Thursday’s summit meeting of countries supporting Ukraine hosted by Macron. Representatives of around 30 countries are expected to attend. Led by France and the United Kingdom, Ukraine’s supporters have already been working some time on a concept for security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The concept is to be finalised in Paris on Thursday. 

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26.03.2025: Faeser travels to Amman

Berlin (dpa) – The acting Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, has travelled to Jordan to talk to government representatives about refugees, migration and security issues. She is accompanied by her Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner (photo). Meetings with Interior Minister Masen al-Faraja and Foreign Minister Aiman Safadi are scheduled for the afternoon in the capital Amman.

During the civil war in Syria from 2011 onwards, Jordan took in around 1.3 million refugees from its neighbouring country according to government estimates At a donor conference in Brussels last week, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Development Minister Svenja Schulze promised 300 million euros in additional funding, not least to support Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.

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25.03.2025: Patents: Germany ranks second after USA

The European Patent Office has presented the latest figures for patent filings in 2024. In the Patent Index, Germany ranks second worldwide, after the USA. In total, researchers from Germany filed a good 25,000 patent applications last year - 0.4 percent up on the previous year. With just shy of 48,000 patent applications, the United States remained firmly in first place. Japan (approx. 21,000) and China (approx. 20,000) followed in third and fourth place respectively. Computer technology was the world’s leading technical field. In the area of digital technologies, Germany filed nearly 4,500 patent applications in 2024, a marked 6.6 percent increase on the previous year.

When the figures are broken down according to individual companies, Asia leads the field. Most patents were filed by Samsung from South Korea, Huawei from China and LG from South Korea. Siemens and BASF from Germany came in sixth and seventh place respectively.

24.03.2025: Federal Government: Imamoglu’s pre-trial detention is a setback 

Berlin (dpa) – The Federal Foreign Office is calling for a fair trial under the rule of law for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu after he was remanded in custody. A spokesman for the ministry spoke of a serious setback for democracy in Turkey. “We expect the allegations to be clarified transparently as quickly as possible and proceedings to be based on the principles of the rule of law,” said the spokesperson. 

The mayor of Istanbul was arrested on Wednesday. The CHP politician is seen as a promising rival to the ruling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a future election. Despite the pre-trial detention, 1.6 million of the 1.7 million CHP members voted in favour of Imamoglu as presidential candidate in an internal party vote, according to party leader Özgür Özel. For days now, tens of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in Turkey to mark the arrest – despite bans on protests. Hundreds of people were arrested during the demonstrations. There were also demonstrations in Germany, including in Berlin (photo). 

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21.03.2025: Energy dialogue between Germany and Thailand

Berlin (d.de) – The State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Udo Philipp, and Samerjai Suksumek, Advisor to the Thai Energy Minister, have signed a joint declaration of intent on a bilateral German-Thai energy dialogue in Berlin. The aim is to “create a platform for even closer cooperation in the area of energy and climate policy between our countries. German and Thai companies in the renewable energy sector in particular will benefit from this close collaboration,” said Philipp, adding that the focus was on the decarbonisation of energy systems and industry, improved business opportunities for companies in the two countries, and increased security of energy supply. There are plans to organise joint projects, workshops, specialist conferences, study trips and company dialogues.

Bilateral climate and energy dialogue is a key instrument of Germany's foreign energy policy. Implementation is being supported by Germany’s development agency, the GIZ.

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20.03.2025: Baerbock opens embassy in Damascus

Damascus (dpa) – A good three months after long-term Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted, Germany once again has an embassy in Syria. During her visit to the capital Damascus, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock opened the diplomatic mission, which had been closed in 2012 following the start of the civil war. German diplomats can now contribute to stabilising and rebuilding the severely damaged country on the ground. Because not all safety measures are yet in place, however, work is also being conducted from elsewhere, said Baerbock.

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19.03.2025: Baerbock to become President of the UN General Assembly

Berlin (dpa) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is set to assume the presidency of the UN General Assembly for one year during the 2025/26 session in New York this September. The Federal Government intends to nominate the current minister as a candidate. Before the election, Baerbock plans to present her work programme in New York in May. Election by the UN General Assembly in early June is considered a formality. It was stated that Baerbock would resign from her Bundestag mandate on taking up the new position. The role of the president is primarily ceremonial. 

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19.03.2025: Foreign Minister visits Lebanon

Berlin (d.de) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is travelling to Lebanon for talks. Before she left, she stated: “Two months after the agreement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the resumption of heavy Israeli fighting in Gaza is shattering the tangible hope of so many Israelis and Palestinians – the hope that suffering on all sides may finally come to an end.” This is Baerbock’s fifth visit to Lebanon. 

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18.03.2025: Billions in aid for Syria

Brussels (dpa/d.de) - The international community has pledged another 5.8 billion euros to alleviate the consequences of the civil war in Syria. The billions’ worth of aid is the outcome of a conference on Syria held in Brussels. Once again, a substantial share of the total sum was pledged by Germany. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (photo) and Development Minister Svenja Schulze announced that 300 million euros would be made available to support people in Syria and Syrian refugees in neighbouring states. “Syria now has a historic opportunity to set the course for peaceful and stable development. Notwithstanding the risks, it would be wrong not to do everything we can to support Syria in embarking on such a development path,” Schulze said.

The Brussels conference on Syria is the fourth high-level political conference to support Syria following the ousting of the Assad regime, and also the ninth annual European Union donor conference on the Syrian crisis.

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17.03.2025: Initiative remembers deported Ukrainian children

Berlin (d.de/dpa) – By its own account, the initiative Bring Kids Back UA has so far been able to bring home 1,236 Ukrainian children who had been deported to Russia. According to the initiative, the names are known of at least 20,000 children and young people who have been abducted by Russia from Russian occupied territories since the war of aggression against Ukraine began. Aid organisations estimate that the actual figure is at least ten times as high. Germany is one of the supporters of the Ukrainian initiative. To mark the 2nd anniversary of the issuing by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague of international warrants for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin and of the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Right Maria Lvova-Belova for the deportation of the children, Bring Kids Back UA is reminding the public of these ongoing violations of international law. The children that have been returned to Ukraine are at home with their relatives, while orphans are living with foster families, stresses Bring Kids Back UA.

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14.03.2025: G7: Baerbock pins hopes on united West

Charlevoix (dpa) - Despite the conflict with the US over its stance on Russia, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is pinning her hopes on a united West. Even in its 50th anniversary year, the G7 group of economically strong democracies was “a central discussion group that adapts time and again to the geopolitical challenges and geopolitical times,” she said at the meeting of G7 foreign ministers in the Canadian town of Charlevoix. 
Ever since the Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine three years ago, the G7 group has also been a central forum for ensuring European peace, Baerbock said. “This is more important than ever in these days.” In addition to Germany, the G7 includes the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Italy and Japan. 

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13.03.2025: Baerbock at G7 meeting in Canada

Charlevoix (dpa/d.de) – The foreign ministers of the G7 countries are meeting in Canada for the first time since Donald Trump took office. In Charlevoix, eastern Canada – in the 50th year of the G7’s existence – the meeting is centred on the question of whether US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the group’s friend or rival. There is some doubt as to whether a joint final memorandum will be issued. Germany will be represented by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. “This close dialogue is not only important, it is urgently needed. Since Putin brought the war to Europe, the G7 have been our working engine in managing the crisis – strong and reliable,” said the Minister ahead of the meeting. The fact that Putin had not achieved his war aims in Ukraine was not least due to the united support of the G7, said Baerbock. After 151 trips to 77 countries, this will probably be Baerbock’s last official trip to an international meeting as Foreign Minister. In addition to Germany, the G7 includes the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Italy and Japan. 

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12.03.2025: German State Secretary Annen in Syria

Damascus/Beirut (d.de) - Niels Annen, the parliamentary state secretary at Germany’s Development Ministry, has travelled to Syria and Lebanon to hold political talks. The focus of his trip is on Syria’s transition process and recovery and on the reform agenda of and challenges faced by crisis-torn Lebanon. In Damascus, Annen has held talks with, among others, the Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani and the chair of the newly established investigation committee al-Dubais al-Anzi to address the recent acts of violence. Massacres in Syrian coastal cities have claimed many civilian lives. “The Syrian people want peace and stability. In my meetings, I discussed how Germany can support Syria on this path,” Annen said. In Beirut, the state secretary met with, among others, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (photo), who won a confidence vote in parliament on 26 February. “Lebanon now needs a government that will tackle long-postponed reforms,” stated Annen.

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11.03.2025: UN Commission on the Status of Women: standing shoulder to shoulder for gender equality

Berlin/New York (d.de) – In New York, the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women began yesterday and will continue until 21 March. Delegations from the 45 member states and representatives of other UN states and NGOs are expected to attend. Ekin Deligöz, the parliamentary state secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, is representing German Women’s Minister Lisa Paus. “At the present time, anyone who fights for gender equality is facing tough headwind. This makes it all the more important for us to reflect on our shared moral compass and keep on track,” said Deligöz. To mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a review is being conducted of progress achieved so far and new goals are being set. In 1995, the international community demanded equal power for women, a life free of violence, and more gender equality.

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10.03.2025: German government condemns violence in Syria

Berlin (dpa) – The Federal Foreign Office has condemned the outbreak of violence in Syria between supporters of the ousted long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad and the new rulers. “Reports of the murder of civilians and prisoners are shocking,” it said in statement in Berlin. “The transitional government has a responsibility to prevent further attacks, investigate the incidents and bring those responsible to justice. We urge all sides to put an end to the violence.”The ministry said that the future of the country had be in the hands of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender. The EU also declared its condemnation of any violence against civilians.

According to estimates by activists, more than 1,000 people have so far fallen victim to the outbreak of violence. Security forces of the Islamist transitional government are said to have carried out outright “massacres” of members of the Alawite religious minority, to which former President al-Assad also belongs.

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07.03.2025: European Ariane 6 launched for debut commercial flight

Kourou (dpa) – Europe’s new Ariane 6 launcher has been successfully blasted into space on its debut commercial flight. The rocket lifted off from the European space centre in Kourou in French Guiana, as can be seen from live images. According to the company Arianespace, the boosters perfectly fulfilled their mission and the transported satellite was placed precisely at the intended site. Ariane 6 was carrying a satellite of the French Air Force on board. 

A good dozen countries were involved in the construction of Ariane 6. The upper stage was assembled in Bremen, while the upper stage tanks and parts of the engine were made in Augsburg and Ottobrunn respectively. The Vinci engine was tested in Lampoldshausen in Baden-Württemberg. After France, Germany is the most important financial backer among the ESA countries, having covered some 20 percent of the approximately four billion euros which the rocket cost.

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06.03.2025: Federal Chancellor Scholz attends EU summit in Brussels

Brussels/Paris (dpa) – EU heads of state and government are to gather for a special summit in Brussels today to discuss their response to the rift between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The EU special summit will focus on increasing defence spending in order to further support Ukraine and significantly improve European defence. 

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is travelling to the summit to represent Germany. The likely future chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Brussels on Wednesday evening, where he met with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas. Merz and Scholz previously agreed on joint positions at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.

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05.03.2025: Baerbock: Women in Afghanistan will not be forgotten 

Berlin (dpa) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has denounced the massive restrictions imposed on women’s rights by the Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan. “The Taliban are literally building a social prison for 50 per cent of the Afghan population just because they are women,” said Baerbock in Berlin at a conference on violations of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in Afghanistan. There was a clear message for the Taliban, said the Foreign Minister: “Your actions are not without consequences and will not remain without consequences.”

The Taliban took power again in Afghanistan in 2021 and have massively restricted the rights of women and girls ever since. Germany continues to support the Afghan population with humanitarian aid through international bodies and non-governmental organisations. “The principle we adhere to here is that women and girls must benefit from this humanitarian aid," said Baerbock. The Federal Foreign Office invited representatives of Afghan civil society and international organisations to the conference.

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04.03.2025: Paraguay wants closer cooperation with Germany

Asunción (dpa) - Paraguay wants to cooperate more closely with Germany - especially in the economic sector. At a joint press conference with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Asunción (photo), President Santiago Peña said that his country was ready for investments. “It is our great wish that Germany should rediscover Paraguay.” 

Steinmeier paid tribute to Paraguay, saying that it was an important partner for Germany in South America and that the two countries shared the same values and interests and engaged in considerable trade together. “I am happy about the stable connections we have together at a time of considerable global upheavals.” 

Steinmeier also believes that Paraguay guarantees good fundamental conditions that could arouse the interest of German companies.

The German president is continuing his tour of South America today with a visit to Chile. Talks with Chilean President Gabriel Boric are scheduled for Wednesday.

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03.03.2025: Steinmeier: we need the Mercosur agreement

Montevideo (dpa/d.de) - Germany and Uruguay are jointly campaigning for the rapid ratification of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur states. “We want, indeed we need this Mercosur free trade agreement,” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said at a press conference with new Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi in Montevideo (photo). 

In December, the EU Commission and the South American Mercosur bloc (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) had brought negotiations on a huge free trade zone to a successful conclusion in Montevideo after more than 20 years. Orsi also voiced support for the agreement to be implemented quickly. On the European side, however, there is opposition in countries such as France, Italy and Poland. 

Steinmeier is continuing his tour of South America on Monday with a visit to Paraguay. Chile will be the German president’s third port of call.

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28.02.2025: Lemke praises COP outcome for global species protection

Berlin/Rome (d.de) – The countries participating in the UN Biodiversity Conference COP16 have agreed on how to fund plans to protect global biodiversity. The 150 countries had met in Rome as an “extension” of the COP16 that took place in Cali last year. Commenting on the agreement, German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said: “I am delighted that we were able to bring the world nature conference to a successful conclusion, that’s a big win for nature and thus for us all. We have achieved a lot in Rome for the protection of global biodiversity.” In principle, the states had already agreed to place at least 30 percent of the world’s land and marine areas under protection by 2023. The participating industrialised countries are to make 20 billion dollars available each year to protect biodiversity. This figure is to rise to 30 billion in 2030. The process for achieving this has now been agreed. 

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27.02.2025: Macron receives Merz at Elysée Palace

Paris (dpa) - German election winner Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have met for talks at the Elysée Palace in Paris. During their three-hour meeting, both expressed their desire to begin a new chapter in Franco-German relations, according to a CDU/CSU alliance statement in the evening. It was the first trip abroad for the CDU chairman following the party’s victory in the Bundestag election last Sunday.

No further details of the meeting were initially disclosed. The statement merely confirmed that the talks took place in an extremely cordial atmosphere and that there was very considerable agreement on the topics discussed and numerous opportunities for joint initiatives. Merz wrote in both German and French on X: “Thank you very much, dear @EmmanuelMacron, for your friendship and your trust in Franco-German relations. Together our countries can achieve great things for Europe.”

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25.02.2025: World nature conference to resume

Rome (dpa/d.de) - The world’s biggest nature conservation conference is going into extra time in Rome from today: four months after the talks failed in Colombia, representatives of nearly 200 countries are reconvening at a summit that will continue until Thursday evening. In November, the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) had failed to reach any agreement. There was disagreement over the funding and implementation of previous agreements in particular. 

The USA is one of the few UN member states not to be represented at the meeting. Germany is one of the main donors to international biodiversity funding and could assume a mediatory role. The German delegation in Rome is headed by Jan-Niclas Gesenhues, parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry. He does not see any need for a new fund: “We have enough international funds and instruments. I believe that always just engaging in new structural debates won’t get us any further,” Gesenhues said, adding that it was more important to ensure that the funds that have been pledged were actually made available. 

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21.02.2025: Germany calls for enhanced international dialogue

Johannesburg (dpa) – At the G20 meeting in Johannesburg in South Africa, Katja Keul, Minister of State in Germany's Foreign Ministry, called for international dialogue to be enhanced. "In this extremely tense international situation we must continue to cooperate with our partners to find solutions," Keul said.

Prior to this, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa had lamented the lack of consensus in the group of major economies (G20) in view of geopolitical tensions. During the opening event of the G20 meeting of foreign ministers, he said that there was a lack of unity concerning the response to globally relevant issues. Ramaphosa continued by saying that the "already fragile global coexistence" was threatened by growing intolerance.

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20.02.2025: Germany at meeting of G20 foreign ministers in South Africa

Johannesburg (dpa) – The foreign ministers of the group of 20 leading economies (G20) are meeting in Johannesburg in South Africa. Alongside the Middle East conflict and Ukraine war, topics such as the reform of global institutions and climate change adaptation will be discussed at the two-day meeting. Germany will be represented by Katja Keul, minister of state at the Federal Foreign Office. Members of the G20 include France, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and India. The European Union and the African Union are also members - the latter since 2023. The group thus represents roughly 80 percent of the world’s population and more than 85 percent of the world’s economic power.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Minister of State Keul said that Germany supported the South African presidency and its ambitious agenda - especially at a time when wars and conflicts in the world were causing great suffering and destruction.

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19.02.2024: EU states impose new sanctions on Russia 

Brussels (dpa/d.de) - The EU states have agreed to impose further sanctions on Russia in response to the continuing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. They are to come into force next Monday, on the third anniversary of the invasion, announced the Polish EU Council Presidency. 24 February marks the third anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

According to diplomatic sources, the sanctions include stripping eight Russian media companies of their licences to broadcast in the EU and a far-reaching ban on imports of Russian aluminium. Furthermore, the sanctions will be tightened against Russia’s “shadow fleet”, which is used among other things for Russian oil exports. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had already announced in January that sanctions on the “shadow fleet” would be tightened further: “With his contemptible use of a fleet of rusty tankers, Putin is (…) avoiding sanctions.” Around 150 ships are now blacklisted; their captains and owners are no longer permitted to enter the EU and any assets they have in the EU will be frozen.

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18.02.2025: Special EU exemption for defence spending? Germany demands limits

Brussels (dpa) - If the German government has its way, countries such as Italy, Spain and Belgium will for the foreseeable future not be able to take advantage of possible exemptions to EU debt rules in order to spend more on defence. German Finance Minister Jörg Kukies (photo) and Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that in Germany’s view only states that spend at least two percent of their economic output on defence should have the right to such exemptions. This has long been the target set by NATO. With quotas of below 1.5 percent of late, countries such as Italy, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg have been nowhere near achieving this.

At a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels, Kukies argued that Germany and other EU countries have defence expenditure rates of two percent and more even without special exemptions. He said that this was why changes to the rules on debt could only be accepted if they applied to new commitments. 

At the Munich Security Conference, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had announced that she intended to make higher defence spending possible by activating the escape clause of the European debt rules.

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17.02.2025: Germany kicks off UN development system initiative

Munich (d.d) - Germany’s Development Minister Svenja Schulze has commenced an international initiative to reinforce the UN development system. At the Munich Security Conference, Schulze invited partners from around the world to a meeting which was designed to send a clear message of support for the United Nations development system.

In the face of ongoing crises and global challenges, more international collaboration was needed, Schulze said, along with a common set of rules which all would abide by. The world needed to build trust, not blocs, she said. Peru, Morocco, the UK, Ireland, Norway, Costa Rica, France and Colombia all affirmed their agreement. In recent weeks, the Development Ministry has coordinated the “Joint Declaration of Intent by the coalition for an impactful United Nations Development System to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”, in which states commit to multilateralism, international solidarity and the Agenda 2030 goals.

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14.02.2025: Baerbock warns against “sham peace” in Ukraine

Munich (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has reacted to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine war. “A sham peace - over the heads of Ukrainians and Europeans - would gain nothing”, warned Baerbock. “A sham peace would not bring lasting security, neither for the people in Ukraine nor for us in Europe or the United States,” she added. 

The minister called for negotiations to result in “a lasting peace solution that protects the sovereignty of Ukraine and ensures that Putin’s Russia will never again endanger Europe’s peace”. Just like three years ago, when Putin, shortly after the MSC, “sent his tanks off to Kyiv and shook our security to the core, we again find ourselves now at an existential crossroads for our security in Europe.”

Peace will only come through strength, according to Baerbock. This requires tough and long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, a strong NATO and progress on Ukraine’s accession negotiations with the EU. 

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13.02.2025: Europeans commit to boosting support for Ukraine 

Paris (dpa) – At a meeting in Paris, European Foreign Ministers have stressed their readiness to boost support for Ukraine. “We share the goal to keep supporting Ukraine until a just, comprehensive and lasting peace is reached,” the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK said in a statement following a meeting with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. The ministers pledged to seek peace which guarantees European and Ukrainian interests. Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she welcomed in principle the phone call between US President Trump and Russian President Putin. “There can only be peace if it is shared among us all: that means with Ukraine and with Europeans,” Baerbock said.

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12.02.2025: Syria hospital partnerships kick-off conference

Berlin (d.de) – Over the coming months, Germany plans to set up over 20 German-Syrian hospital partnerships. A conference in Berlin is taking place to discuss how to support the Syrian healthcare system. Three hundred delegates are attending, including German and Syrian doctors, hospital representatives and aid organisations. After almost 14 years of civil war in Syria, over one-third of the country’s hospitals are no longer functional and over half of medical staff have fled. Around 6,000 Syrian doctors live in Germany, and many have contacted the Development Ministry (BMZ) because they want to help, as have other individuals and organisations. Development Minister Svenja Schulze stressed the need for these partnerships: “There can be no safe homeland for all Syrians until the healthcare system is restored, the economy picks up, and people have food, power and an income,” she said.

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11.02.2025: Scholz warns USA against tariff “folly”

Berlin (dpa) - Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced EU retaliatory measures against US tariffs. Addressing the Bundestag, Scholz said, “If the US leaves us no other choice, the European Union will respond resolutely.”As the world’s largest market with 450 million citizens, the EU had the strength to do so, but he added, “I hope we can avoid the folly of tariffs and counter-tariffs. In the end trade wars harm everyone’s prosperity.”

President Donald Trump has initiated tariffs worth 25% on steel and aluminium imports to the USA. Trump, who is a member of the Republican Party, signed two executive orders in the White House and said that the tariffs would apply to all countries without exception. The European Union had previously warned the US President against imposing the tariffs.

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10.02.2025: Artificial intelligence discussed at summit in Paris

Paris (dpa) - A two-day international action summit on artificial intelligence (AI) is getting underway in Paris that is expected to be attended by numerous heads of state and government, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as well as by industry representatives and experts from around 100 countries. The summit will discuss possible AI applications in the areas of healthcare, education and work, as well as how to regulate and use the technology responsibly. France’s President Emmanuel Macron will welcome EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, US Vice President J.D. Vance and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the summit’s co-president. German industry association Bitkom warned against focusing too much on regulatory issues in Germany and Europe, saying that this would create uncertainty for business and put the brakes on innovation. 

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07/02/2025: Secretary of State Philipp visits Kyiv

Kyiv (d.de) - Udo Philipp, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Economic Affairs is visiting Kyiv for talks at the invitation of the country’s Minister of Economic Affairs Yulia Svyrydenko. They were joined by the French Minister for Foreign Trade, Laurent Saint-Martin. The meeting aims to strengthen economic relations between Ukraine and the European Union. Philipp also met members of the office of the President and Ukrainian businesspeople. 

“Joining with our Ukrainian and European partners, we need to look to the future and start work now on rebuilding the Ukrainian economy. Private investment will be of central importance if this is to succeed. The German Government is supporting this with various tools and measures,” Philipp said. 

The Secretary of State said he welcomed the fact that in 2024, Ukraine had established itself as Germany’s key trading partner in the former Soviet states.

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06/02/2025: Foreign Minister Baerbock rejects Trump’s Gaza plans

Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has rejected plans put forward by US President Donald Trump to resettle the Palestinian population. “Everyone agrees that Gaza must be rebuilt as soon as possible,” the Minister said. “As Europeans we stand ready to do our part along with the US and partners in the region,” Baerbock said. “At the same time, it is clear that Gaza, along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem, belongs to the Palestinians. These areas will form the basis for a future state of Palestine.”

During a visit by the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump said that the USA planned to take possession of the Gaza Strip, most of which lies in ruins. Under Trump’s plan, the 2 million Palestinians would in future live in other Arab states in the region. 

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05.02.2025: Latin America Conference: platform for cooperation

Berlin (d.de) - Held in Berlin, the Latin America Conference of German Business explored opportunities for business and cooperation between Mexico and Argentina. At the invitation of the Latin America Initiative of German Business (LAI), which is coordinated by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), topics such as sustainability, trade potential and strategic partnerships were discussed by expert panels. “Latin America and the Caribbean are not only a sales market for German business but also a central source of critical raw materials, renewable energies and innovative technologies. Cooperation with the region is essential to successfully drive forward Germany’s economic transformation - be it through access to lithium and other raw materials or by funding green hydrogen projects,” said LAI Chair Ingo Kramer (photo). 

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04.02.2025: German President Steinmeier visits Saudi Arabia

Riyadh (dpa/d.de) – Frank-Walter Steinmeier has become the first Federal President of Germany to visit Saudi Arabia, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Gulf state’s de-facto ruler. Following the ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, Steinmeier called for the release of all Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity and negotiations towards a two-state solution. Steinmeier stressed the need for a political process which would result in two outcomes: “Firstly, an agreement that guarantees security for Israel, and secondly, self-determination for the Palestinians,” he said, adding that he and Mohammed bin Salman were of one mind on this point. The German President believes Saudi Arabia bears greater responsibility for resolving conflicts in the Middle East. “Saudi Arabia is a key actor in the region,” he said.

Steinmeier will continue his Middle East tour with a visit to Jordan, where he will meet King Abdullah II in Amman for talks on recent developments in the region. 

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03.02.2025: EU provides funding for Bornholm Energy Island cooperation

Berlin (d.de) - The EU has provided 645 million euros in funding for the German-Danish cooperation project Bornholm Energy Island. The project is a joint initiative of the transmission system operators Energinet and 50Hertz that will connect three gigawatts of offshore wind power to the European electricity grid in the 2030s. The electricity is to be routed via new network connections to Germany (2 GW) and to the Danish mainland (1.2 GW). The project is the first of its kind, combining power lines between Denmark and Germany with offshore wind power. 

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31.01.2025: Hostage release sparks joy

Gaza/Berlin (dpa) – The release of several hostages taken by Islamist militants in Gaza has sparked joy in Germany. “Arbel Yehoud and Gadi Moses are free. Both are German-Israeli citizens. We are relieved and share the joy of all the hostages who returned today,” wrote Chancellor Scholz in a post on social media. He also repeated his call for all hostages to be released. Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote, “Time and again I have feared, wept and hoped with the families of Gadi and Arbel in Israel. Their strength has moved me deeply.”There were chaotic and dangerous scenes during the release of the two German-Israeli hostages and several Thai hostages. “Tormented by Hamas until the last moment,” Baerbock said in her statement, which she also published in Hebrew.

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30.01.2025: Germany calls for end to violence in Eastern Congo

Berlin (d.de) – Following recent violence in Eastern Congo, the German Federal Government has called on the Rwandan-backed M23 militia to withdraw from the areas it has seized. Luise Amtsberg, the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid, stated: “The majority of people in the region already live under challenging humanitarian conditions.”Amtsberg described how people in the region were now facing “immeasurable” suffering. “We are calling upon M23 to withdraw. Rwanda must immediately end its backing for M23 and all those involved in combat operations, and return to the negotiating table,” Amtsberg said. As current chair of the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes, Germany was seeking to bring stability to the region, Amtsberg said.

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29.01.2025: EU states step up fight against hybrid threats

Berlin (d.de) – Germany and its partners in the EU are stepping up their fight against hybrid threats. This was announced by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. The ministers had discussed “enhancing Europe’s own security, [since] Russia's hybrid actions are increasing in frequency and intensity,” said Kallas. It was about “raising the costs for those behind these attacks.” So-called hybrid threats include cyberattacks, disinformation and fake news, GPS disruption and attacks on infrastructure, such as the damage to cables in the Baltic Sea. 

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had previously announced that Germany would be making concrete proposals in this context. “Hybrid threats are like thousands of individual, barely perceptible pinpricks, but taken as a whole they constitute a brutal attack on our democracy and our infrastructure in Europe,” warned Baerbock.

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28.01.2025: Baerbock holds first talks with US Secretary of State Rubio

Brussels (dpa) – The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has held her first telephone call with her US counterpart Marco Rubio. The Federal Foreign Office quoted the minister as saying, “We plan to work closely with the new US government.” According to the statement, she also stressed that “Europe will take greater responsibility for its own security.” 

Germany and the USA were linked by close economic ties and common interests, the statement said. The two countries would also collaborate in responding to common challenges and opportunities. The Foreign Office said that Baerbock and Rubio had also discussed the importance of a strong NATO and Russia’s war against Ukraine. The situations in Syria, Gaza and the Middle East and attitudes to China were also covered. 

According to a statement from the US State Department, Rubio “reaffirmed the strength and importance of the U.S.-German relationship for transatlantic peace and prosperity.” 

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28.01.2025: Baerbock announces aid worth millions for Syria

Brussels (dpa) - EU Foreign Ministers have approved a plan to relax sanctions against Syria. The scheme creates incentives for the new regime to support democracy. Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stressed that “sanctions against the murderous Assad clan and his henchmen” would remain in force. According to a statement from the Federal Government, Germany will provide an additional €3m for the work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Syria. Baerbock used the example of a Siemens power station to illustrate the businesses which could benefit from the relaxation of sanctions. For several years, punitive sanctions have made it impossible to maintain the power station with support from Germany.

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27.01.2025: Africa Energy Summit: securing access to electricity

Berlin (d.de) – 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are to get access to electricity in the next five years. How to make this a reality is on the agenda for the first Africa Energy Summit in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Almost all African countries will be represented at the summit, in some cases by heads of state and government. The summit is being organised by Tanzania, the African Union, the World Bank and the African Development Bank. Germany’s representative at the summit is Jochen Flasbarth, Secretary of State at the Development Ministry (BMZ). Before setting off for Tanzania, Flasbarth said that renewables were the best and most affordable way to give people in Africa access to reliable electricity supplies. Almost 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa – over half the population – have no access to electricity at home. The BMZ is among the most important partners helping many African states to transition to new sources of energy. The BMZ only provides funding for renewables.

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24.01.2025: Schulze: schools vital to fresh start in Syria 

Berlin (d.de) - To mark International Day of Education, Development Minister Svenja Schulze has underlined how important schools are to peace and stability. She stressed that this is particularly true of countries in crisis like Syria. “The choice will be made in Syria’s schools whether or not the next generation will be able to create country in which different groups, men and women, can live together in peace and equality. If the transitional government is prepared to create a school system like this, one which is free from discrimination and exclusion, then Germany will support that,” Schulze said. The Development Ministry is working through UN aid agencies such as UNICEF and NGOs to help restore schools and support children in Syria, many of whom have been traumatised by war.

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23.01.2025: Defence Minister visits Lithuania, Poland and France

Berlin (d.de) – Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is visiting key allies in Poland and France. In Warsaw he will hold talks with his counterpart Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. He will then fly to Paris to meet the French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Pistorius has already visited Lithuania where the agenda included the stationing of German troops under plans for a long-term deployment of a brigade of up to 5,000 personnel. Pistorius also acknowledged Germany’s crimes during the Second World War. On a visit to the Paneriai Memorial near Vilnius, he commemorated the victims of the German occupation and the Holocaust, and laid a wreath.

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22.01.2025: Davos: Zelenskiy thanks for air defence aid 

Davos (dpa) – At a meeting with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Switzerland, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Germany for providing arms to help in Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression. Ukraine valued Germany’s leadership in strengthening Ukraine’s air defences and the significant contribution it had made to protecting thousands of human lives, Zelenskiy said. For almost three years Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian aggression. After the USA, Germany is the leading supporter for Ukraine, both in terms of military and humanitarian aid.

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21.01.2025: Özdemir: strategic realignment of cooperation with African partners

Berlin (d.de) - German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, together with Josefa Sacko, agriculture commissioner of the African Union (AU), has presented a new cooperation concept. It will strategically realign the Ministry of Agriculture’s cooperation with African countries and regions. The guiding principle is that a sustainable agriculture and functioning food systems are pillars for peace and political stability.

“Our Africa concept is a renewed avowal that our neighbouring continent remains a focus of our attention. With this concept, we are providing specific measures to flesh out the Federal Government’s Policy Guidelines for Africa in the area of agriculture. We aim to use our know-how to the best of our ability in order to create a sustainable and climate-adapted agriculture,” Özdemir said.

The concept originated in a participatory approach involving the AU, civil society, science, business and young people from African countries and Germany.

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20.01.2025: German Federal Government: release of first hostages is “Day of joy”

Berlin (dpa) – Under a ceasefire agreement, Hamas has released three hostages held for over 15 months. The German Chancellor and Foreign Minister expressed their relief but also called for more. “Today is a day of joy: at long last, more Hamas hostages have been released and reunited with their families,” Chancellor Scholz wrote on social media. He stressed that there must be more progress after this first step. “All hostages must be freed and more humanitarian aid must swiftly get into the Gaza Strip.”

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote that, “Today, relief and sadness are side-by-side: pure relief that the hostages are back in the arms of their loved ones after 471 days. But also sadness at the certainty that not all will have survived.” Baerbock said the remaining hostages and their families were particularly in her thoughts. If all involved keep to the terms of the agreements, the ceasefire can be more than just a moment to draw breath, Baerbock said. She stressed that the German government was doing all it could to get urgently needed help to people in Gaza.

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17.01.2025: Sudan: Development ministry support

Berlin/Port Sudan (d.de) - Germany’s Parliamentary Secretary of State to the Development Ministry Niels Annen is visiting Sudan. The agenda focuses on issues of displacement and refugees. “Millions of people are starving in Sudan and have no protection against disease. Sadly, however, international audiences pay far too little attention to the drama which is unfolding in Sudan. For that reason it is vital that we draw attention to the catastrophic situation in Sudan and explore how to put the conditions in place for people to provide for themselves and look forward to a peaceful future in spite of the war,” Annen said before his visit.

A vicious war has been ongoing in Sudan since April 2023 between the Sudanese military and the militia of the Rapid Support Forces. With more than 12 million displaced persons, the conflict is the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis. Annen will use his visit to Port Sudan to understand the humanitarian situation, German support and international cooperation aimed at helping suffering people there. He also plans to reaffirm Germany’s demands for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access in particular.

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16.01.2025: Baerbock on Gaza agreement: “Day of relief”

Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed relief about the agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and on the release of hostages. “Today is a day of relief. Relief that the suffering on all sides can now end,” Baerbock said. 

She explained that the agreement between Israel and Hamas would save lives and give people in Gaza, the hostages and their families, as well as everyone in the region, hope after 15 months. “And it shows how important it is to never lose faith in diplomacy - even in the darkest hours,” added the minister, expressing her thanks to the negotiators.

Baerbock also urged compliance with the agreement. “I call on all sides to respect the provisions of the agreement. The hostages must be released quickly and in accordance with its terms. Humanitarian assistance must be provided on a massive scale to those suffering in Gaza. Likewise, the military withdrawal and the return of Palestinians to their homes must be implemented.”

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15.01.2025: Baltic conference: fighting sabotage attempts

Helsinki (dpa/d.de) - Germany and other NATO members on the Baltic have agreed a closely coordinated approach to prevent acts of sabotage against critical infrastructure. A joint statement issued by the participants after the summit in Helsinki to discuss security in the Baltic said, “We are determined to deter, detect and counter any attempts at sabotage. Any attack against our infrastructure will be met with a robust and determined response.” The statement also welcomed NATO’s creation of the “Baltic Sentry” vigilance activity to deter hostile activities in the Baltic. Commander Task Force-Baltic in Rostock has also been activated and coordinates Allied ships in the Baltic Sea. “We held a wide range of meetings and proposed to continue the discussions within the European Union and NATO,” said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz after the summit.
The spotlight is on cargo vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” which are used as a means of circumventing sanctions.

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15.01.2025: Germany supports investigation into war crimes in Syria

Minister of State Tobias Lindner, Syria Coordinator at the Foreign Office, has met the head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) Robert Petit. The IIIM was set up by the United Nations in 2016 as a mechanism to collect evidence of brutal crimes in Syria in order to document it and make it available for court proceedings. Thanks to the work of the IIIM, the German criminal justice system has been able to punish serious human rights abuses by the Assad regime in Germany under the principle of universal justice. The Foreign Office is providing 1 million euros of its funds as a short-term boost to the work of the IIIM.

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14.01.2025: Defence Minister Pistorius in Kyiv

Kyiv (dpa) - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has arrived in Kyiv for talks with the Ukrainian government to discuss further military support for the country’s defensive struggle against Russia. He also described his trip as a “signal that Germany, as the largest NATO member in Europe, stands at Ukraine’s side. Not alone, but rather with the Group of Five, and many other allies,” he said. Together with its four European partners Poland, France, the United Kingdom and Italy, Germany intends to undertake greater efforts to strengthen the Ukrainian arms industry. Previously, Pistorius had met with the defence ministers of the Group of Five in a suburb of the Polish capital Warsaw. The five countries want to jointly strengthen European security and defence readiness. 

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13.01.2025: Baerbock: sanctions against Syria could be relaxed

Riyadh (dpa) - Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has raised the prospect of relaxing EU sanctions on Syria from its long period under the rule of recently deposed dictator Bashar el-Assad. Speaking on a visit to an international conference in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, Baerbock said, “As the international community, we cannot let slip the chance of a future for Syria, despite all our well-founded scepticism. As Germany and Europe we are therefore taking the first concrete steps towards this goal.”

Baerbock also pledged additional aid to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria. Germany would provide an additional €50m to the World Food Programme and various NGOs for food, emergency accommodation and medical supplies, she said.

“The sanctions imposed on the Assad clan and his henchmen during the terrible civil war in Syria in response to their dreadful crimes must remain in place,” Baerbock went on. Germany’s Federal Government was urging the European Union to take a “smart approach”, she said, to provide rapid support to the Syrian people.

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10.01.2025: Germany’s Africa policy: forging partnerships together

Berlin (d.de) – Germany’s Federal Government has published the guidelines for its Africa policy. “Working together with Africa is essential if we are to master the challenges of a multipolar world,” the guidelines say (Image: Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a trip to Africa in 2024). According to the Federal Foreign Ministry, close collaboration with Africa is indispensable to overcoming major global challenges such as climate change, pandemic prevention, and preserving peace and stability. To this end, Germany was extending offers of a partnership on the terms described in the guidelines. 

The Africa policy guidance sets out four priorities: 

1. working together to overcome global challenges 
2. sustainable growth, collaboration and greater sharing of ideas and experience between businesses, local value creation, and diversifying supply chains
3. reinforcing the resilience of democracy, education, science and innovation
4. promoting security, peace and sustainable stability

You can read the guidance (in German) here.

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09.01.2025: Scholz calls for respect for borders

Berlin (dpa) - Without mentioning the incoming US President Donal Trump by name, Federal Chancellor Scholz has stressed the principle of the inviolability of international borders. Scholz’s comments came after Trump raised the prospect of about expanding US territory to include Greenland (which belongs to Denmark), the Panama Canal and Canada. “Borders must not be moved by force,” Scholz said, and stressed that the principle of inviolability applied to all countries, regardless of whether they were in the East or the West. Scholz said his conversations with European partners had expressed a “degree of uncertainty” about certain comments from the USA. 

At a press conference in Florida on Tuesday, Trump refused to rule out the use of military force with regard to Greenland. On Wednesday, Scholz spoke by telephone to President of the European Council António Costa, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He has also spoken to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron. 

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08.01.2025: Government calls for clear EU rules against online hate speech

Las Vegas (dpa) - In light of the announcement by the Meta social media group to cease working with fact checkers in the USA, Germany’s Minister for Digital Volker Wissing has called for clear rules in the EU against hate speech and incitement online. Speaking during his visit to the CES technology show in Las Vegas, Wissing said he expected the European Commission to “take a very close look” at Meta’s proposal, and that the Commission should “scrutinise it carefully and take appropriate measures as necessary.” He said he had already discussed the issue with the EU’s new commissioner Henna Virkkunen. “I know she is taking these questions very seriously. She has my full confidence and support,” he said. The Facebook group Meta plans to lift restrictions on spreading false claims on its platforms and to cease using fact checkers in the USA.

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07.01.2024: Chancellor Scholz commemorates “Charlie Hebdo” attacks 

Berlin (dpa) - Ten years after the Islamist terror attack on the French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo”, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz commemorated the victims. The hashtag #JesuisCharlie went around the world in the aftermath of the “barbaric attack”, Scholz wrote. “Now as then we share the pain of our French friends. The attack took aim at our shared values of freedom and democracy, something we will never accept.” The attacks on 7 January 2015 and following days also targeted a female police officer and a kosher supermarket. A total of 17 people were killed. The attackers were shot dead by security forces. In the attacks on the “Charlie Hebdo” offices alone, two brothers killed twelve people. 

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06.01.2025: Baerbock: The EU will not provide financial support for the Islamisation of Syria.

Berlin/Damascus (dpa/d.de) – According to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the European Union will take a close look at the direction in which Syria is developing before deciding whether to support the country. After her visit to Syria, the Minister said that if after years of absolute oppression there was now a chance of a peaceful and free future for all, the EU would be there to help. “But of course the EU is not prepared to provide financial support for the Islamisation of Syria,” she added. 

“We now need a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups, involving all people, especially including the women of this country,” said the Minister.

Baerbock travelled to Syria together with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on behalf of the EU just over four weeks after the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad. They were received by the de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa. 

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03.01.2025: Baerbock and Barrot visit Syria

Larnaca/Damascus (dpa) – Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot are representing the EU on a visit to Syria, just under four weeks after the previous regime was overthrown. The two ministers will hold talks with representatives of the transitional government which has replaced the government under the dictator Bashar el-Assad. Before setting off, Baerbock outlined the conditions for the resumption of relations with Germany and the EU. “A fresh political start” was possible, she said, but the condition for this was that, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religious affiliation, all Syrians should have a place in the political process, with guarantees for their rights and protection against harm. Following almost 14 years of civil war large areas of Syria have been destroyed and over 16 million people depend on humanitarian aid. Almost one million refugees from Syria are currently living in Germany.

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02.01.2025: Germany digitises visa application process

Berlin (d.de) – Whether for work, study, training or family reunification – applications for German national visas can now be submitted to any visa centre worldwide via the so-called Consular Services Portal. In addition to saving long mail delivery times, this also reduces waiting times. The Federal Foreign Office has linked all 167 visa offices to the Consular Services Portal and digitised the relevant visa application processes for employment, study, training and family reunification.

“The digital visa procedure is a real administrative revolution that boosts Germany as a business hub,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. As one of the largest economies and a modern immigration country, Germany now had a national visa procedure that was fully up to date, said the Minister – “modern, digital, secure”.

Further development of the digitalised visa process will continue even after the global roll-out: the aim is to enable families, groups and proxies to submit joint digital applications.

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30.12.2024: Germany launches aid projects for Syria 

Berlin (dpa) – Following the fall of ruler Bashar al-Assad, Germany has commissioned a number of aid projects totalling 60 million euros in Syria. “The humanitarian situation of the people in Syria is catastrophic,” said Development Minister Svenja Schulze in an interview, adding that large parts of the country had been destroyed after almost 14 years of civil war. Schulze said that 90 per cent of the population were living in poverty and were dependent on aid. It was still unclear how events would unfold in the country, said the Minister: “But there is now a window of opportunity to support positive development, so we should do everything we can to make the most of it,” said Schulze. She stressed that the planned projects would be implemented exclusively via UN aid organisations and non-governmental organisations, with 25 million euros going to the UN children’s aid organisation UNICEF, for example.

27.12.2024: Georgia: Baerbock wants consultations on suspension of the EU membership process

Berlin (dpa) – Due to the Georgian government’s anti-European stance and the violence against pro-European demonstrators, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is proposing talks on formal suspension of the EU membership process. The ruling Georgian Dream party had “deliberately put the membership process on hold with its anti-European shift” and thereby “effectively suspended it”, she said according to a statement issued by the Federal Foreign Office. “In the EU, we should now discuss formal suspension of the Georgian membership process due to the increasingly authoritarian policy being pursued by Georgian Dream,” the statement continues.

Baerbock emphasised that the award of EU candidate status in December 2023 was linked to “clear promises of reform”. “But instead of progress we’re seeing alarming regression.” As a consequence, the Federal Foreign Office has scaled back its cooperation with the authorities in the country, suspending support projects worth more than 200 million euros. Germany is also discussing further measures with its EU partners – according to Baerbock, these range from “the withdrawal of visa-free travel for Georgian officials to targeted sanctions”.

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23.12.2024: Baerbock warns of war between Turkey and Kurds 

Berlin (dpa) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned against a war between Turkey and the Kurds in Syria. “This is exactly what has to be avoided,” she said in an interview, adding that there would be no benefit to anyone if the terrorists of Islamic State (IS) were the ones to profit from a confrontation with the Kurds. This would pose a security threat to Syria, Turkey and Europe, said the Minister. Turkey has repeatedly launched military operations against the Kurdish militia YPG in northern Syria in the past. Meanwhile, the Kurdish militia is an important partner to the USA in the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) in Syria. Baerbock noted that it was the Kurds in particular who had pushed back the IS, adding that Turkey “naturally” had legitimate security interests.

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20.12.2024: Scholz after phone call with Trump: killing in Ukraine must come to an end

Brussels (dpa) – Following his telephone conversation with future US President Donald Trump, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed confidence that Europe and the US will continue to pull together in their support for Ukraine. “But of course with the clear expectation that there will be a fair peace for Ukraine, enabling it to defend its sovereignty and putting an end to the killing,” added Scholz. “It is very clear to me that we must do everything we can to make this possible,” said the Federal Chancellor, noting that even with Trump as US President it would be necessary to coordinate Ukraine policy with the USA. “My impression is that this will be perfectly possible.”

Scholz once again expressed his opposition to the idea of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a possible ceasefire. He said that the concrete design of a security architecture “cannot really be reasonably discussed at present”. “But from our standpoint it is has to be structured along transatlantic lines, too,” he emphasised, adding that there had been “no discussion of ground troops or anything like that, because that is not an issue at all”.

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19.12.2024: Baerbock emphasises the importance of Syria’s territorial integrity

Berlin (dpa) – Following the fall of the Assad regime, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on all sections of the population to participate in the renewal process in Syria. In order to ensure a peaceful transition, the rights of all ethnic and religious communities must be taken into account, said Baerbock in the Bundestag.

She also warned against undermining the Syrian dialogue process from the outside: “If we want peace in the region, the territorial integrity of Syria must not be called into question,” said the Minister. “Permanent occupation of the Golan violates international law." Following the uprising in the neighbouring country, Israel’s army invaded the buffer zone to Syria on the Golan Heights and is apparently considering long-term control of the area.

Baerbock also announced that this week she would be travelling to Turkey, which likewise shares a border with Syria. The Minister paid tribute to the role of the Kurds in the fight against the Assad regime while again emphasising the need to involve all sections of the population. “I will make this very, very clear again during my visit to Turkey on Friday.”

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18.12.2024: German delegation meets rebel leader in Syria

Berlin (dpa) - German diplomats have initiated direct contacts with the leader of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus. “The talks focused on the political transition process and our expectations with regard to protecting minorities and women’s rights in order to be able to support peaceful development in Syria,” the German Federal Foreign Office said. The German delegation is led by Tobias Tunkel, the Middle East Representative of the Federal Foreign Office.

According to the Federal Foreign Office, the talks in the Syrian capital also involved the HTS representative responsible for international contacts and the education minister of the transitional government. There had also been meetings with representatives of civil society and religious communities. The visit also included an “initial inspection of the German embassy building in Damascus”.

Before the talks, the Federal Foreign Office had stressed that there would be close scrutiny of the actions of HTS and the transitional government the group has installed. “Any cooperation requires that ethnic and religious minorities be protected and that women’s rights be upheld.” 

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17.12.2024: Germany: 50 years of strengthening food security 

Berlin (d.de) - As a founder member and major funder of the CGIAR agricultural research network, Germany has been contributing to the development of innovative solutions to global challenges such as hunger, poverty and climate change since the 1970s. Germany has been a steadfast provider of funding for international agricultural research and the CGIAR network since its creation 50 years ago in 1974. According to information provided by the Development Ministry, new varieties adapted to the climate have been developed. The latest maize varieties are contributing $1 billion annually to the economies of the countries in Africa where they are cultivated. Some 36 million farmers are applying methods that preserve resources to maintain soil fertility and reduce carbon emissions. In the long-term, increased yields from sustainable farming practices and new crop varieties are expected to generate value equivalent to 47 billion US dollars annually. According to the Development Ministry, this would improve food security and living conditions around the world.

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16/12/2024: Steinmeier becomes first German President to visit Lesotho

Maseru (dpa.d/de) – During his four-day visit to Nigeria and South Africa, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Lesotho at the invitation of King Letsie III (photo). This was the first time a German head of state has visited the kingdom. Steinmeier pointed to the high levels of poverty in the country, adding that “Anyone who looks around here can see how vital it is for us to look after this country.” He referred to examples such as giving young people opportunities to enter vocational education. Germany is also contributing to a water management project. In political terms, Steinmeier said, Lesotho was closer to Germany on some issues than South Africa. “From the outset, Lesotho has condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” he said.

Lesotho depends heavily on its major neighbour South Africa, which completely encircles the kingdom. Many people work there, such as in the mining industry. The kingdom is around the same size as the German state of Brandenburg. It has a population of 2.3 million and an unemployment rate of over 30%. Lesotho’s economy is based on agriculture and the exports of textiles, diamonds and water.

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13.12.2024: Baerbock calls for security guarantees for Ukraine

Berlin (dpa) – Germany and other European countries are insisting on security guarantees should there be negotiations on a ceasefire in Ukraine after US President-elect Donald Trump takes office. “Ukraine needs rigorous security guarantees. As Europeans, we need robust security guarantees without any gaps,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. “This includes long-term military and financial support for Ukraine,” added the Minister. 

Ahead of deliberations by a group of representatives from France, Poland, Italy, Spain and the UK, Baerbock said: “We must not only think big for our common security but also act big and make the various instruments available that will be required for this purpose.

With regard to the situation in Syria after the fall of ruler Bashar al-Assad, Baerbock spoke of a lengthy process towards normalisation – “there are still a lot of obstacles along this path”, she said.

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12.12.2024: Germany increases humanitarian assistance for Syria 

Berlin (dpa) – Following the ousting of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, the German government wants to step up its engagement in Syria. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has appointed Minister of State Tobias Lindner as special coordinator for Syria. She has announced additional humanitarian assistance worth eight million euros. The minister has also offered Germany’s help with eliminating chemical weapons. “We now have the chance to keep the world safe from Assad’s chemical weapons once and for all,” she said. 

During a trip to Jordan and Iraq, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that Europe and Germany could and should “not allow themselves to be just spectators”. He urged for the new leaders in Syria to be given a chance. He raised the prospect of Germany stepping up its engagement in the region, if this were desired. 

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11.12.2024: Franco-German Prize for Human Rights awarded

To mark International Human Rights Day yesterday, Germany and France announced the fourteen winners of this year’s Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

The prizewinners come from different countries and regions, including Israel and the Palestinian Territories. They head non-governmental organisations and are lawyers, journalists or activists working to defend the inalienable rights of each and every human being. “The prizewinners stand up for those whose voices would often not be heard without them. Under the most difficult conditions they often risk their own freedom, frequently even their lives, to defend human rights in conflicts and strengthen women and the rights of LSBTIQ+ people,” reads a statement from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.

Since 2016, France and Germany have used International Human Rights Day as an opportunity to jointly pay tribute to individuals around the world who have shown outstanding commitment to promoting human rights. 

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10.12.2024: Baerbock: Protecting people in Syria and promoting the peace process 

Berlin (dpa) – Following the end of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s rule, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned against jumping to conclusions about the security situation in the country. After this initial sigh of relief for the people in Syria, she said, everything had to be done to ensure that the people on the ground were protected and that the peace process could progress. After all: “Nobody can foresee now or in the next few days how things will continue in Syria and what recent developments mean in terms of security policy,” said Baerbock, also noting that it was not clear “whether more people will flee the region because other extremists are now causing trouble, or whether people will be able to return to Syria.” 

09.12.2024: Support for the poorest: IDA replenishment reaches record sum

Seoul (d.de) - After a year of intense negotiations, the 21st replenishment cycle of the World Bank’s IDA fund has come to an end in the South Korean capital Seoul: thanks to donor contributions totalling 23.7 billion US dollars, the IDA - the world’s most important provider of finance for the poorest countries - will be able to invest the record sum of 100 billion US dollars in sustainable development over the coming three years. Contributing around 1.62 billion euros, Germany ranks fourth in the list of 59 donor countries. 

“Germany’s contribution is an expression of our solidarity with the poorest countries and of our reliability in the international group of donors. The record result shows the power of multilateral cooperation even in tense geopolitical times,” said German Development Minister Svenja Schulze. 

Furthermore, the 137 IDA member states have agreed to new political targets. They intend to invest more in protecting the environment and the climate, in empowering girls and women, in peace and security and in mobilising the private sector.

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06.12.2024: German military deployments abroad to be extended

Frankfurt am Main (d.de/BMVg) – The Federal Cabinet has given the green light to the ongoing deployment of German armed forces in international missions to the Mediterranean and South Sudan. The Bundestag is expected to approve the extensions before the upcoming general elections. The deployments are to be extended until 31 October 2025.

Through its contribution to the EU-led EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation in the Red Sea, the Bundeswehr is protecting shipping on key trade routes against Houthi militia attacks. The maximum number of personnel which can be deployed is expected to remain unchanged at 700.

As a partner in the UN UNMISS mission in South Sudan, the Bundeswehr is helping to stabilise the region. Up to 50 military personnel carry out various functions such as staff roles in the UN headquarters in Juba and as military observers, and also by contributing their expertise on tasks involving communication, advice and support.

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05.12.2024: Baerbock committed to strong and effective OSCE

Valletta (d.de/AA/dpa) – The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is travelling to Malta on 5 and 6 December for the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The meeting will focus on the situation in Ukraine.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has shaken security and order in Europe and plunged millions of people into dire need. This is why support for Ukraine is at the top of the agenda for this year’s OSCE meeting of foreign ministers. Representatives of 57 states from North America to Central Asia will meet in the Maltese capital Valetta to discuss ways of restoring security in Europe.

The organisation has been in a state of crisis since the war began. Russia has vetoed many key decisions which require consensus. The other member states accuse Moscow of constantly undermining and blocking the work of the OSCE. At the meeting Germany is committed to ensuring that the Russian blockade does not further undermine the effectiveness of the OSCE. 

Despite these difficulties, the OSCE has achieved major successes in 2024 such as by intensifying project work in Central Asia and Eastern Europe and the ongoing monitoring of human rights violations in Russia and Belarus. Germany has provided voluntary contributions worth over 17 million euros to ensure that vital projects related to human rights, security and fighting corruption can be continued. 

Find out more about Germany’s work to promote peace and security. Foreign police - commitment to peace and security | Facts about Germany

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04.12.2024: Habeck extends offer of closer collaboration with Africa

Nairobi (dpa) - Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck has offered closer cooperation with African countries and called on them to create the right conditions to do so. “German investors need a safe and stable environment for their investments,” said the Minster at the opening of the 5th German-African Business Summit in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. This was fundamental both to investment, he said, and to the lives of people in African countries. Habeck noted that only 1% of German foreign investment went to Africa and that there was the potential for more. At the same time, the Economic Affairs Minister encouraged young skilled workers from Africa to come to Germany under the more relaxed opportunities for migration.

Held every two years, the German-African Business Summit is Germany’s key business conference in Africa. This year the event was attended by 800 delegates from 35 African countries and Germany.

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03.12.2024: Germany at the global land and drought conference in Saudi Arabia

Berlin (d.de) - Two hundred countries have sent delegations to the 16th conference on land and drought in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The German delegation to the conference of signatories to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is led by Niels Annen, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development. Germany’s key goals for the conference include improving protections for land rights and boosting participation for women and young people with regard to access to land, protection activities and land restoration. Germany is also seeking to ensure women and young people have a voice in decisions concerning land use, from the national level down to individual communities. 

“Keeping the soil in good condition makes food production, development and prosperity possible. That requires funding. However, states must also put the financial, policy and regulatory conditions in place to allow local people to invest in their own land and farm it sustainably.” Desertification and droughts are rapidly growing challenges around the world, as degradation already affects up to 40% of the world’s land areas. The UN climate secretariat is based in Bonn in Germany. 

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02.12.2024: Habeck attends German-African Business Summit in Kenya 

Berlin (d.de) - Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck is representing Germany at the 5th German-African Business Summit, which he will open on 03 December. In addition to talks with high-ranking representatives of the Kenyan government, the itinerary for Habeck’s four-day visit includes meetings to promote German-Kenyan economic ties. The focus is on renewable energy, training skilled workers, start-ups and the digital economy. Habeck is accompanied by a delegation of business leaders and members of the Bundestag.

The German-African Business Summit is Germany’s key business occasion in Africa. It is supported by SAFRI, an initiative of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) to promote business with sub-Saharan Africa. Every two years the summit brings together leading representatives of government and industry from Germany and Africa. 

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29.11.2024: Germany and European partners hold talks with Iran

Geneva (dpa) - Against the background of the recent growth in tensions, Germany, France and the United Kingdom held talks with Iran in Geneva on Friday. According to Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, reappraising bilateral relations and the Middle East conflict were the focus of the talks. She added that Iran’s controversial nuclear programme and the possible resumption of nuclear negotiations would also be on the agenda. 
Germany is being represented by Günter Sautter, Political Director of the Foreign Office. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minster Majid Takht-Ravanchi is also travelling to Geneva for the talks. One of the priorities for Western diplomats in Geneva is to set out their positions and avoid escalation.

Four weeks ago the German ambassador to Iran, Markus Potzel (photo) was recalled to return to Berlin following the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German citizen. Potzel has now returned to Tehran “to emphasise our concerns at a high level there,” as a spokesperson from the Federal Foreign Office said.

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28.11.2024: Germany and Turkey intensify energy transition cooperation 

Berlin (dpa) - Berlin and Turkey plan to expand their collaboration on renewable energy. “The time to act has come,” said Federal Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck at the 6th German-Turkish Energy Forum in Berlin “We have made huge progress in recent years and Turkey has great plans to decarbonise its industrial sector,” said Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.He added that the energy sector was a key pillar of the collaboration between the two countries. He also proposed a minerals partnership. 

Numerous businesses agreed collaborations at the forum. For example, the German wind power firm Enercon joined with the Turkish project development specialists İş Enerji and Polat Enerji to announce their plans to supply and install wind turbines to generate up to 2500MW in Turkey and neighbouring countries. 

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27.11.2024 Baerbock: Ceasefire in Lebanon “ray of hope for the whole region” 

Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has described the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hezbollah as a “ray of hope for the whole region”. Hundreds of thousands of women, children and families in Lebanon draw fresh hope, as could tens of thousands of people in Northern Israel, Baerbock said in Berlin. “The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah shows what can be achieved by diplomatic means,” she added. “We also urgently need a ceasefire in Gaza so that the German and other hostages can at last be released and to put an end at last to the starvation and suffering of hundreds of thousands of women, children and men.”

Baerbock said that the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 was essential to the long-term resolution of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Passed in 2006, the resolution is designed to create a buffer zone in south Lebanon. 

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