Bild: Ex-Schumi-Manager seriously injured in robbery / Ex-Schumi-Manager bei Raub schwer verletzt
FAZ: Merz sees „strong momentum“ in Ukraine peace talks / Merz sieht „große Dynamik“ in Ukraine-Friedensgesprächen
Funke: Berlin’s property tax is lawful / Grundsteuer in Berlin ist rechtmäßig
Handelsblatt: More competition in space / Mehr Wettbewerb im All
RND: Trump: U.S. has seized tankers off the coast of Venezuela / Trump: USA haben Tanker vor der Küste Venezuelas beschlagnahmt
SZ: Another dispute over Citizen’s Income reform / Erneut Streit um Reform des Bürgergelds
Tagesspiegel: Europe cannot compensate for U.S. withdrawal: Ukraine faces lowest aid levels since 2022 / Europa kann Ausfall der USA nicht ausgleichen: Ukraine drohen niedrigste Hilfen seit 2022
taz: Does Ukraine still have a choice? / Hat die Ukraine noch eine Wahl?
Welt: One chair remains empty (Nobel Prize ceremony) / Ein Stuhl bleibt leer (Nobelpreisverleihung)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a meeting of Western supporters of Ukraine: on Thursday, the „coalition of the willing“ plans to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine in a video conference. According to the Élysée Palace, the contributions of the United States will also be addressed. The meeting takes place in the context of the revised U.S. peace plan, which—after pressure from Kyiv and European capitals—has been drafted in a less pro-Russian manner. Both Kyiv and the Europeans are demanding further changes in favor of Ukraine, especially security guarantees. Zelensky said the current week could „bring news for everyone.“
- U.S. President Donald Trump is leaving open whether the United States will take part in a planned meeting in Europe on the Ukraine peace plan. He said he had spoken „in clear terms“ with European partners about the U.S. proposal, which has since been revised by Volodymyr Zelensky, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The plan has been reduced from 28 to 20 points. tagesspiegel.de
- U.S. President Donald Trump is urging Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to be more realistic. zeit.de
- Around a dozen heads of state and government from Europe plan to discuss the Ukraine peace plan in Berlin on Monday, according to diplomats. Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously said that the European countries were planning further talks in the coming days to coordinate efforts toward a peace process.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink about the reconstruction of Ukraine. Both sides reportedly showed „complete agreement“ on the economic guidelines. - Volodymyr Zelensky has warned international partners against exerting pressure in the debate about new elections under martial law. He said he had spoken with parliament about the legal and other issues related to an election. Elections must be organized in a legally sound manner. Berlin reaffirmed that Zelensky holds a legitimate mandate.
- Ukraine’s UN ambassador Andriy Melnyk considers elections without a ceasefire impossible. He interprets Zelensky’s willingness to hold new elections as a signal to the United States and other mediators that Ukraine remains democratically capable of acting despite the war. Zelensky had said that, if the situation were secure, elections could be held within 60 to 90 days.
- According to calculations by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, military aid for Ukraine has dropped sharply in the second half of the year. Europe’s allies were unable to fill the gap left by U.S. support; nine billion euros are missing to reach the previous level.
Coalition struggles to reach agreement on health-insurance contributions and the heating law: in the Chancellery, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the leaders of SPD, CDU and CSU spent hours discussing key reform projects, including rising health-insurance contributions and the heating law. Results are expected to be presented Thursday morning. Pressure is growing especially in the health sector, as higher contributions loom and savings plans are stuck in the mediation committee. The coalition is also seeking progress on the energy and infrastructure package. rnd.de
Germany wants to revoke admission commitments for 640 Afghans: according to the Interior Ministry, there is „no longer any political interest“ in admitting them. The affected individuals are to be officially informed in the coming days. The approximately 640 people had received an admission commitment under the previous government. Instead, they will receive support in their current place of refuge, Pakistan. The separate federal admission program for particularly vulnerable Afghan women remains unaffected. tagesspiegel.de, sueddeutsche.de, n-tv.de
Cabinet:
- Journalists, academics, and activists are to receive better protection from abusive intimidation lawsuits. A draft bill implements an EU directive and will allow courts to dismiss such „harassment lawsuits“ at an early stage.
- Paternity recognitions will be checked more strictly in the future if either parent lacks a permanent residence status. Immigration authorities will now have to approve them, in order to prevent sham paternity and the abuse of residence permits. The draft responds to a widespread business model involving around 65,000 cases per year.
- The cabinet has extended the Bundeswehr’s foreign mission in Iraq and Jordan until the end of January 2027. The Bundestag must now decide on the mandate extension.
- The government presents bill for „more climate-friendly refueling.“
Citizen’s Income reform to go to the cabinet next week, according to Chancellor Friedrich Merz: coalition partners have largely reached an agreement in recent days, though some open questions still need to be clarified between the ministries. Economics Minister Katherina Reiche and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt fear a weakening of planned sanctions through later changes by Labor Minister Bärbel Bas. handelsblatt.com, tagesspiegel.de, n-tv.de
Federal Fiscal Court declares new property tax constitutional: judges found no constitutional violations in the federal model, which has been in effect in eleven federal states since January. The case concerns the property-tax reform and specifically the federal model for calculating the levy. The reform was necessary after a 2018 Constitutional Court ruling. Critics—including the Taxpayers’ Association and „Haus und Grund“—continue to criticize inaccurate data and plan to file a constitutional complaint. tagesschau.de, rnd.de
Federal Court of Justice overturns a key clause in the Riester pension: the clause allowed the insurer to permanently reduce the pension factor and thus the monthly pension because of deteriorating market conditions, without later adjustments upward. The case concerned unit-linked contracts from Allianz Life. The Verbraucherzentrale Baden-Württemberg had sued. Consumer advocates expect the ruling to apply to similar contracts from other providers. spiegel.de, lto.de, zdfheute.de, tagesschau.de
European defense companies plan an independent reconnaissance network in space: Munich-based Helsing and Norwegian defense group Kongsberg are jointly building a satellite network to enable Europe’s armed forces to conduct military reconnaissance independently of the United States. Between 75 and 100 Kongsberg satellites, equipped with Helsing’s AI-supported software, are to be operational by 2029. Sensor specialist Hensoldt is contributing radar and infrared systems. The aim is to improve Europe’s deterrence and response capabilities as a lesson from the Ukraine war.
Poland seeks close cooperation with Germany on drone defense: Warsaw wants to work more closely on developing ground-based systems to combat drones. Poland’s Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski announced plans to build the SAM defense system and draw on German experience. The goal is to develop cost-effective ways to counter cheap drones that have changed the battlefield. The Polish air-defense system is expected to become more efficient. handelsblatt.com
Other reports:
- Economics Minister Katherina Reiche says the industrial electricity price is fully on track. handelsblatt.com
- Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer wants to promote agricultural exports; an export strategy presented.stern.de
- Federal Network Agency allows energy-grid operators a small increase in revenues; industry dissatisfied.
- Court of Audit accuses government of waste.
- Prosecutors examine Hitler Youth quote at AfD youth congress.
High number of right-wing extremist incidents at Bavarian schools: around 400 schools reported anti-democratic or hateful incidents last school year. According to Bavarian Broadcasting, the cases ranged from racist and homophobic insults to Nazi salutes and Islamist-motivated statements. School administrators attributed about three-quarters of the cases to the right-wing spectrum, ten percent to religious motivations, and three percent to left-wing extremism. br.de
Oil leak in a pipeline in the Uckermark region of Brandenburg: at least 200,000 liters of crude oil leaked from a PCK refinery pipeline during an incident at a pump station near Gramzow. The leak was under around 20 bar of pressure, causing oil to spill onto a nearby field. Around 100 firefighters and 25 refinery employees are working to remove the oil with suction trucks. Officials currently rule out outside interference. sueddeutsche.de, n-tv.de
Prince Heinrich XIII Reuß denies leadership role in Reichsbürger group: he told the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court that he knew nothing of a planned storming of the Reichstag and had no extremist or terrorist intentions. The group was arrested in late 2022 during anti-terror raids and, according to the indictment, planned to overthrow the government by force, accepting potential deaths. zeit.de, lto.de
Other news:
- Brandenburg: AfD at all-time high; nearly half of respondents support new elections.
- North Rhine-Westphalia: More suspects registered in Turkish-Arab clans.
- Brandenburg: Co-Left party leader Sebastian Walter resigns.
- Lower Saxony: Salzgitter wants to examine mandatory work for asylum seekers.
- North Rhine-Westphalia: City council elects AfD politician Norbert Emmerich as deputy mayor of Gelsenkirchen.
- Bavaria: Supporters of a subgroup of the Identitarian Movement, dressed as Santa Claus, distributed right-wing extremist flyers in the Munich U-Bahn.
- Saxony: AfD politician Jörg Dornau must pay a fine over onion-related business dealings in Belarus.
U.S. strategy paper aims to divide the EU: a previously unpublished long version of the U.S. National Security Strategy allegedly contains measures to weaken the EU. According to the Bild newspaper, it names Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland as countries with which Washington wants to cooperate more closely in order to „pull them away“ from the EU. The paper also envisages support for pro-American forces in Europe that emphasize traditional ways of life. It also proposes creating a new international group, the „Core 5,“ consisting of the United States, China, Russia, Japan and India—with no European participation.
EU postpones decision on designations for meat-substitute products: „veggie burger“ or „tofu sausage“ will remain permitted for the time being. Negotiators from member states and the European Parliament were unable to agree on new rules in Brussels. A possible ban has been postponed. Supporters of a ban cite the protection of consumers and farmers; the initiative originated in the EPP group. zdfheute.de, faz.net
EU Commission wants to strengthen energy security with a major investment package: the package includes 1.2 trillion euros for modernizing and better connecting Europe’s energy grids, in order to improve energy security and reduce dependence on Russia. Plans include new „electricity highways“ between the Baltic states and the rest of Europe. The Commission also expects positive effects on competition and consumer prices.
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado announces first public appearance in months: she will appear publicly in Oslo on Thursday for the first time since January. On Wednesday she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in absentia, which her daughter accepted. Machado lives underground in Venezuela and is one of the sharpest critics of President Nicolas Maduro. tagesspiegel.de, zdfheute.de
- Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado fled by boat to Curaçao to reach Oslo. spiegel.de
The United States is considering checking social media accounts at the border: the border protection agency plans to require tourists to disclose their social media accounts when entering the country. Travelers would have to grant officers access to their posts on platforms such as TikTok, X, or Instagram from the past five years. The proposal is not yet legally binding and is still in the discussion phase. n-tv.de, heise.de
Further news:
- Vivida BKK: loneliness among young people is no longer a marginal phenomenon.
- Chemical industry sees no improvement in 2026.
- Researchers recommend a legal requirement for the Nutri-Score; according to a study, the food-labeling system is supported by a majority of customers.
- Bavarian entrepreneur Udo Dinglreiter becomes head of Gesamtmetall.
- Spending on Christmas gifts remains constant at 502 euros.
- Trade journal retracts key glyphosate study; publisher cites ethical shortcomings.
In Germany, December is the month when everyone suddenly becomes a pastry chef. Even colleagues who claim they “can’t boil water” show up with meticulously labeled tins of homemade Plätzchen — and you’re expected to admire each cookie like it’s a newborn child. Beware: declining a cinnamon star may be interpreted as a personal attack, and bringing store-bought cookies? Social suicide.