EU leaders postponed a seven-year budget agreement as Germany sought spending cuts and France promoted new levies on digital services, crypto assets and online gambling.
Western governments are preparing contingency plans to move embassies from Kyiv as Russian strikes intensify and energy risks rise.
Putin’s Valdai speech renewed nuclear warnings and blamed the West for the Ukraine war, sharpening geopolitical risk for European business.
Foreign investment in Germany rose to 86 billion euros in 2025, but a sharp drop in U.S. capital and a surge from the UK reshaped the market.
German President Steinmeier urges Europe to respond to the 'ruthless' policies of Russia and the US, emphasizing international law, pragmatic US relations, and social reforms amid rising far-right influence.
Putin names former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as his preferred EU negotiator for Ukraine peace talks, highlighting strategic business and political dimensions amid stalled diplomacy.
Italy and Germany urge adherence to international law following Israel's interception of a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza, highlighting complex geopolitical and legal challenges.