Berlin
Alice Weidel, the leader of the German AfD party, regularly held private meetings with Chinese Ambassador Wu Keng. The meetings took place at his residence and coincided with the period of the AfD spy scandal.
GUR representative Andriy Yusov called the statements of the Russian SVR about Ukraine's preparations for attacks on oppositionists a primitive attempt to create an alibi. Russia is trying to justify future special operations on the territory of third countries.
Cyclone Max will bring snowfall to the northern and eastern regions of Germany. In the south, rains are expected with temperatures up to +10°C, which will later level off across the country to -1...+6°C.
The 75th Berlin Film Festival will screen the Ukrainian film Time Tape about schools during the war. The 19 films in competition also include new works by Richard Linklater and Lucille Hadzihalilovic.
A Berlin court has ordered X (Twitter) to provide access to data on the dissemination of information before the German elections. Activists will be able to track potential disinformation and its impact on the February 23 vote.
A Unity Hub center may appear in Prague by June to help Ukrainian refugees return home. The project will be jointly funded by Ukraine, the Czech Interior Ministry and the EU.
Two human rights organizations have filed a lawsuit against X in a Berlin court for failing to provide access to disinformation data. The activists claim that the platform violates EU law ahead of the German elections.
The German agency Lure used photos of Ukrainians affected by the war in an advertising campaign for the Russian media outlet Meduza. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry demands that the content be removed and that Ukrainians whose grief was exploited apologize.
The German parliament voted against toughening migration laws proposed by CDU leader Friedrich Merz. The bill was supported by the far-right, which caused massive protests in the country.
Denmark turned to France for help because of concerns about US territorial claims to Greenland. The French Foreign Minister confirmed his readiness to provide military support at Denmark's request.
Elon Musk said at an AfD party event that Germany should “turn the page” on the Nazi past. Jewish organizations and German politicians strongly condemned this statement on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
The President of Ukraine met with the President of Finland at the World Economic Forum. The parties discussed strengthening defense capabilities, security guarantees and a new military aid package.
The President of Ukraine called on Europe to abandon Russian gas and strengthen its energy independence. He also emphasized the importance of the EU's technological development and strengthening the continent's security.
MHP represented Ukraine at the international exhibition Grüne Woche in Berlin.
Refugees from Ukraine will receive a deferral from military service if they are employed in critical industries. The government is creating special job centers in Ukraine and abroad to facilitate the return of citizens.
The first “Unity Hub” center for Ukrainian refugees in Germany will be established in Berlin. The center will provide cultural opportunities, language courses, and employment assistance.
Germany is creating a fourth division within the Army to protect critical infrastructure. The new unit will include 6 terror defense regiments with a total of 6,000 personnel.
A pig's head was found near the Praeger House memorial site in Apold. The police are investigating the incident as incitement to hatred, and local authorities have strongly condemned this anti-Semitic act.
After 5 people were killed on New Year's Eve, a petition to ban fireworks gained 270,000 signatures. Chancellor Scholz plans to limit the sale of fireworks, but a complete ban is controversial among politicians.
On New Year's Eve, there were targeted attacks on law enforcement and firefighters across Germany. The attackers used pyrotechnics, bottles and stones, and dozens of police officers were injured.
Five people died in fireworks-related accidents on New Year's Eve in Germany. In Berlin, 330 people were detained, 13 police officers were injured, and attacks on law enforcement were reported in other cities.
A large-scale water supply failure occurred in central Berlin a few hours before the New Year. The cause is unknown, the water pressure dropped to a critical level, and the upper floors of the buildings were completely left without water.
Near the Rewe supermarket in the Charlottenburg district, a man with a mental disorder attacked passersby with a knife. Two people were seriously injured and the attacker was detained.
A Ukrainian citizen born in 1972 was injured at a Christmas market in Magdeburg. The woman is in serious condition in a German clinic, and consuls are providing the necessary assistance.
Five people are killed and more than 200 injured after a car plows into a crowd in Magdeburg. The suspect is a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia, a critic of Islam who has lived in Germany since 2006.
The German chancellor has reiterated his intention to continue dialog with the russian president. The Estonian prime minister believes that only military support for Ukraine will force russia to start negotiations.
Steinmeier plans to dissolve the German parliament on December 27 after the failed vote of confidence in Scholz. New federal elections are to be held on February 23, 2024.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has signed a contract with Rheinmetall for the supply of 155-mm artillery shell charging modules. The delivery of tens of thousands of charges is scheduled for January 2025.
In Berlin, four young people aged 16-19 were detained for attacking Social Democratic Party activists and injuring two police officers. The incident occurred during a demonstration where right-wing and left-wing activists clashed.
The Berlin Declaration is signed in Germany, confirming that peace talks are impossible without Ukraine and its European partners. The document provides for increased military and financial support for Ukraine and its Euro-Atlantic integration.