Bild: Benefit fraud using borrowed children! / Bürgergeld-Betrug mit geliehenen Kindern!
FAZ: Trump rules out military force to take over Greenland / Trump schließt militärische Gewalt zur Übernahme Grönlands aus
Funke: Berliners have to pay more and more for nursing home care / Berliner müssen immer mehr für Pflege im Heim zahlen
Handelsblatt: „We will certainly remember a ‘no’“ / „Ein Nein werden wir uns sicherlich merken“
RND: One speech, five impressions: Davos shows Trump’s view of the world / Eine Rede, fünf Eindrücke: Davos zeigt Trumps Blick auf die Welt
SZ: Trump announces agreement on Greenland / Trump verkündet Einigung zu Grönland
Tagesspiegel: Movement in the dispute over acquiring Greenland: Trump announces waiver of punitive tariffs / Bewegung im Streit um Grönland-Erwerb: Trump kündigt Verzicht auf Strafzölle an
taz: More cheese than ever before in Switzerland / So viel Käse wie noch nie in der Schweiz
Welt: Trump says he wants „no violence“ in Greenland / Trump will in Grönland „keine Gewalt anwenden“
GREENLAND
U.S. President Donald Trump halts punitive tariffs following a Greenland understanding with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: The agreement covers not only Greenland but also security policy issues in the Arctic. The defense agreement between Denmark and the United States is to be renegotiated. Details are to be worked out by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump said the plans would benefit the United States and all other NATO members; Rutte described the meeting as productive. Military bases in Greenland are to be transferred to U.S. control, FAZ reports. Trump added that talks were also underway regarding the Golden Dome missile defense system in relation to Greenland. In light of the rapprochement, Trump said he would now refrain from introducing additional tariffs on European countries starting in February. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil warned against excessive optimism on ZDF, saying it was necessary to wait and see what had actually been agreed. Earlier in the afternoon, Trump had still called for immediate talks on his country taking over the Arctic island. sueddeutsche.de, tagesspiegel.de, faz.net, tagesschau.de, n-tv.de
- Denmark and Sweden welcome the end of the U.S. trade dispute over Greenland. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard praised the move away from punitive tariffs and see it as a success of European cooperation. n-tv.de
- Chief of the Army Inspectorate Christian Freuding considers the Bundeswehr prepared for a possible NATO deployment in the Arctic. He emphasized readiness to become more strongly engaged in Greenland as well and pointed to the importance of cooperation with the United States, which he said has advantages in intelligence and logistics. handelsblatt.com
- In response to Trump’s threats over Greenland, the European Parliament has suspended work on the new customs agreement with the United States. The decision jeopardizes the planned easing of transatlantic trade and could lead to additional tariffs totaling 93 billion euros starting in February. spiegel.de
- After AkademikerPension, the Swedish fund Alecta is also divesting from U.S. government bonds. Both cite political uncertainty and weak public finances in the United States. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed fears of a large-scale sell-off. n-tv.de
PEACE COUNCIL
U.S. President Donald Trump plans the establishment of a „Peace Council“ in Davos: According to U.S. plans, the founding document is to be signed at a ceremony on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. According to the charter, the „Peace Council,“ chaired by Trump, is intended to resolve international conflicts. The new structure is designed as an alternative to the United Nations. Originally, the council had been presented as part of the U.S. plan for the Gaza Strip; in the current version, the Palestinian territory is no longer mentioned. stern.de, spiegel.de
- U.S. President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the invitation to the „Peace Council.“ Moscow has so far only spoken of an ongoing review. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump referred to numerous commitments and defended the inclusion of „controversial“ heads of state in the body.
- According to Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo XIV is considering participating in the „Peace Council“ on the Gaza conflict and the stabilization of peace in the Middle East. The Vatican emphasized that, due to limited resources, it cannot take part in economic projects, and that a thorough review would therefore be required before any commitment.
- Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina have confirmed their participation.
- Several European states reacted cautiously to Trump’s initiative and emphasized the central role of the United Nations in global peacekeeping. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul pointed to the need for reform but made clear that the UN already constitutes the legitimate peace council. faz.net
UKRAINE
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday in Davos about the war in Ukraine: Earlier this week it was still unclear whether Zelensky would travel to Switzerland in light of ongoing Russian air attacks. He had made his participation conditional on concrete progress toward a peace agreement or new Western aid commitments. Trump said in Davos that they were „quite close“ to a deal. echo-online.de
- U.S. President Donald Trump called for a swift end to the war in Ukraine in Davos and urged Europe to take on greater responsibility. He said the United States was geographically and politically far removed from the conflict. He announced that, for humanitarian reasons, he would continue efforts to bring the war to an end.
- Trump expressed hope in Davos for a soon-to-be agreement between Presidents Zelensky and Putin. In his assessment, both sides were ready for a deal; otherwise they would be „stupid,“ Trump said.
- Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov held talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Topics included security guarantees and reconstruction; the delegation also met representatives of the U.S. financial group BlackRock.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to receive U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on Thursday. According to the Kremlin, the initiative came from Moscow; Witkoff described it as an important signal following previous talks. In addition to possible peace negotiations, discussions are expected to cover the handling of frozen Russian assets that could be used for reconstruction in war-affected areas. sueddeutsche.de
Repeated Russian missile and drone attacks continue to cripple Kyiv’s power and heating networks: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said around 4,000 buildings were without heating and that power outages affected nearly 60 percent of the city. He accused Mayor Vitali Klitschko of acting too slowly on repairs. According to Klitschko, about 600,000 people have already left Kyiv. Attacks in other regions also caused widespread outages.
- In Kryvyi Rih, two civilians were killed in Russian drone attacks. According to the local military administration, the strikes hit President Zelensky’s hometown, about 80 kilometers from the front line.
- Ukraine’s military reported the destruction of two Russian air defense systems within a single day. According to the Ministry of Defense, Buk-M2 and Buk-M3 systems were located by drones and precisely struck; the damage to Russia is estimated at around 70 million dollars.
CABINET
- End of the suspensive effect of environmental lawsuits for major projects: The law is intended to speed up planning and approval procedures. Lawsuits filed by environmental associations will no longer have a suspensive effect, so that transport or energy projects, for example, cannot be blocked by lengthy legal proceedings.
- Stricter environmental requirements for companies: Limits for pollutant emissions are to be aligned more closely with the cleanest available technologies. The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of industrial facilities and accelerate the transition to a more climate-friendly economy. zeit.de
- Introduction of the digital certificate of good conduct: This will allow the document to be applied for and transmitted electronically. A BundID account, which provides access to online public administration services, is required. Anyone who does not wish to use the digital option can still apply for the certificate in paper form. heise.de, sueddeutsche.de
Labor Minister Bärbel Bas is pushing for reliable prospects of remaining in Germany for trainees with a refugee background: In view of the shortage of skilled workers, businesses need reliable planning security, Bas said during a visit to the Berlin/Brandenburg training center. Those who work, integrate, and have a permanent position in a company should not face the threat of deportation during or after their training. The wrong people must not be deported. According to Bas, talks are already underway within the coalition about adjusting the regulations.t-online.de
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul continues his Africa trip in Ethiopia, where talks are planned with his Ethiopian counterpart, Gedion Timotheos, as well as representatives of the African Union. During his stop in Kenya, Wadephul announced plans to expand economic cooperation with African countries significantly. He described Africa as a „continent of opportunity“ that has so far received too little attention in Germany. With regard to China, Wadephul criticized that its engagement on the continent is often faster and more effective than that of Germany or Europe. tagesschau.de
Public debt rises to 2,609 billion euros in the third quarter: In particular, the federal government significantly expanded its debt last year, including 4.9 billion euros in the „special fund for the Bundeswehr“ alone. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the debt of the federal government, states, municipalities, and social security funds rose by 2.1 percent, or 54.8 billion euros, in the third quarter of 2025 to a total of more than 2.608 trillion euros. Among the federal states, Baden-Württemberg recorded the largest increase at plus 8.7 percent, due to a capital increase at energy provider EnBW. Lower Saxony, by contrast, reduced its debt ratio by the largest percentage. stern.de
Further reports:
- Halted admission programs: Afghans want protection instead of money. sueddeutsche.de
- General Practitioners’ Association warns the coalition against abolishing telephone sick notes. rnd.de
- Bundeswehr prepares to purchase new frigates. t-online.de
- CDU business wing pushes for collecting Bürgergeld debts. spiegel.de
Renewed pro-Kurdish demonstrations in several German cities largely peaceful: Large marches were reported from Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, and Frankfurt, among others. The background is the escalation of the situation in northeastern Syria, where government troops have recently advanced into areas previously controlled by Kurds. On Tuesday evening, similar protests in several cities had still led to clashes. rbb24.de (Berlin), kn-online.de (Kiel)
Federal Prosecutor General has a suspected Russian spy arrested in Berlin: Investigators accuse the German-Ukrainian woman of obtaining information related to the war in Ukraine for a Russian intelligence service. According to the Federal Prosecutor General, she had been in contact with an employee of the Russian embassy who works for an intelligence service since at least November 2023. She is being investigated on suspicion of intelligence agent activity. tagesspiegel.de, spiegel.de
Further news:
- Brandenburg: Suspected supporters of pro-Russian militias arrested. stern.de
- Thuringia: Federal Council initiative for criminal prosecution of the use of unconstitutional symbols such as swastikas and Hitler salutes in schools. zeit.de
- Lower Saxony: Cyber protection shield „Project Aegis“ is based on U.S. technology. heise.de
- Thuringia: Erfurt public prosecutor sees no grounds for investigations after multiple complaints by the AfD against Interior Minister Georg Maier. faz.net
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Opposition suspects a criminal offense due to secret SMS messages after the Solingen attack. wdr.de
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: BSW politician Jens Kreutzer may not become deputy district administrator; the objection is based on a legal review of whether the statutory requirements of suitability, qualification, and expertise were fully met at the start of office. n-tv.de
- Saxony: Education Minister Clemens open to extending the mobile phone ban at schools up to grade 8. saechsische.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Greens make an AfD ban a coalition condition. echo-online.de
Rhineland-Palatinate: CDU lead candidate Gordon Schnieder wants to make cutting red tape a top priority. echo-online.de - Hesse: Pilot project for digital applications for driver’s licenses and residence registration. hessenschau.de
- Saarland: State parliament rejects the dissolution of districts. n-tv.de
Donald Trump defends intervention in Venezuela: He announced an economic upswing for the country. The United States and Venezuela should share oil production; within six months, Venezuela would earn more than it has in the past two decades, Trump said. U.S. President Donald Trump is also considering a role for opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. n-tv.de
Donald Trump lashes out at Europe’s course: He particularly attacked immigration policy and green energy. He mocked climate policy as the „Green New Scam“ and claimed that wind turbines harm the economy; Germany today produces less energy than it did in 2017. welt.de
Trump attacks NATO: NATO would burden the United States one-sidedly. Despite stating that he fully supports the alliance, he questioned whether NATO would stand by the U.S. in an emergency. „We have never gotten anything,“ Trump claimed, even though NATO invoked the alliance clause after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and participated in the war in Afghanistan.
U.S. Treasury Secretary insults Macron and Denmark: French President Emmanuel Macron was said to be distracted by the dispute over Greenland from France’s problems. He also brusquely dismissed Denmark’s divestment from U.S. bonds; Danish investments were „irrelevant“ given their size.
Uproar surrounding U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a Davos dinner: According to media reports, Lutnick was booed at a private dinner in Davos after causing offense with sharp remarks. Several guests left the room; host Larry Fink of BlackRock attempted to calm the situation. welt.de
Argentina’s President Javier Milei defends the free market: He argued for radical market liberalism and declared state intervention morally unjust. Through drastic spending cuts, his government has stabilized the budget and curbed inflation.
EUROPE + WORLD
EU vote in favor of ECJ review of the Mercosur agreement: By a narrow majority, the European Parliament requested an opinion from the European Court of Justice on the compatibility of the free trade agreement with EU law. The motion, initiated by French lawmakers and supported by Greens, Liberals, and the Left, could delay ratification by months or years. In theory, provisional application would be possible if the European Commission decides so. handelsblatt.com, rnd.de, tagesschau.de
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz sharply criticized the European Parliament’s approach to the Mercosur agreement. He called for the trade deal to be provisionally applied despite the referral to the European Court of Justice; Germany is convinced of its legality and does not want to accept further delays.
- Green Party leader Franziska Brantner explicitly defended the Mercosur agreement, opposing the skeptical stance of many party colleagues. She emphasized progress on climate and rainforest protection and argued in favor of provisionally applying the agreement despite the review by the European Court of Justice. spiegel.de
Further reports:
- Europol: Largest operation ever against the trade in synthetic drugs. tagesschau.de
- China criticizes EU plans to allow banning controversial network technology providers in EU states; Beijing speaks of obvious protectionism. tagesspiegel.de
- European Commission wants to phase out DSL and reform the internet market. handelsblatt.com
- European Parliament proposal: Passengers should be allowed to take hand luggage on board free of charge. tagesspiegel.de
Global nuclear power capacity reaches record level: The worldwide expansion of nuclear energy hit a new high last year, driven solely by China’s reactor push. According to the annual report of an international expert group presented in Berlin, global nuclear electricity capacity would have declined without the additions in China. The country significantly increased its energy production – not only in nuclear power, but also in solar energy. In other regions of the world, development stagnated or declined. web.de
Further economic news:
- German steel production fell by around nine percent in 2025 to just under 34 million tonnes. zdfheute.de
- German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina advocates a sugar tax in Germany. zeit.de
- Number of laboratory animals used in Germany has declined. deutschlandfunk.de
- Technical issue: Isar Aerospace postpones second rocket test flight. tagesspiegel.de
- Ikea launches an offer for a dynamic electricity tariff. handelsblatt.com
- ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio and DW adopt a joint AI code. dwdl.de
- Production Alliance chair Michelle Müntefering: „We have the necessary horsepower, but it also has to be put on the road.“ dwdl.de
Germany loves rules—but only until efficiency shows up. From digital police records to faster approvals for mega-projects, the mood right now is very “Ordnung, but make it pragmatic.” Translation: if bureaucracy can be sped up without breaking the law (or the planet), Germans are suddenly very open to change. Slowly. After a working group. Probably starting next year.