Sybiha's 'Cards' Remark Shows Ukraine's Refinery Strikes as Leverage
At the Warsaw Security Forum, Ukraine's foreign minister said Kyiv now holds leverage. Germany is rejecting Trump's Russian diesel deal and keeping sanctions.
Germany is Europe's largest economy and one of its most influential political actors, so decisions made in Berlin tend to ripple far beyond the country's borders. This hub tracks news about Germany across economics, security, energy and public life, with an eye on how developments there shape markets, technology and policy throughout Europe.
Several long-running shifts are converging. Germany has moved toward substantially higher defence spending, a change that affects procurement, industrial capacity and the wider European defence-technology sector. At the same time, the country's support for Ukraine and its role in EU-level security planning place it at the center of debates about the continent's future. Energy remains a pressing concern as well. The war's impact on infrastructure and supply continues to influence prices, industrial competitiveness and the pace of the energy transition. Meanwhile, economists are reassessing the outlook for German growth, and their differing forecasts reflect genuine uncertainty about how quickly the economy can regain momentum.
This page gathers coverage that helps explain where the country is heading, whether you follow European policy, invest in German industries or work in sectors that depend on German demand.
At the Warsaw Security Forum, Ukraine's foreign minister said Kyiv now holds leverage. Germany is rejecting Trump's Russian diesel deal and keeping sanctions.
Russia hit six Ukrainian energy facilities hours after Trump announced an energy ceasefire. Zelenskyy says Moscow doesn't want a truce; Europe backs pressure.
Germany drives over 70% of new euro-area defence spending, but buy-national procurement, Rheinmetall's share slump and Russian threats cloud the boom.
A 60-year-old hunter with ten legal guns shot dead two unarmed district officials during a routine firearms check in Berngau, Bavaria, and was arrested.
MEPs and EU Commissioner Kubilius propose a six-part European Defence Union with Ukraine as a central partner, backed by Germany's trillion-euro rearmament
German institutes IW, ifo, DIW, IfW Kiel, RWI and IMK all raised 2026 growth forecasts, but warn the export-and-spending rebound may not last.