Daily Briefing 12.12.2025, 17:16 (CET)

German Chancellor Merz sees many unresolved issues in Ukraine talks

There is still significant need for clarification in international efforts to end the Russian war and provide security guarantees for Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

Rheinmetall wins multimillion-euro deal from Dutch Defence Ministry

German aerospace and defence company Rheinmetall has secured a major order to supply the Skyranger 30 system for both mobile and dismounted use to the Dutch Defence Ministry.

Germany summons Russian ambassador over cyberattack

Germany has summoned the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Office in Berlin, citing a major cyberattack and a disinformation operation surrounding the German election campaign.

High service costs keep German inflation at 2.3% in November

ermany's inflation rate remained above the 2% mark in November, driven by rising service costs and higher food prices, the Federal Statistical Office said on Friday as it confirmed its preliminary estimate.

Berlin welcomes planned changes to combustion engine phase-out in EU

The European Commission intends to propose reversing the so-called combustion engine ban next week. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has welcomed the planned changes.

Veteran director Wim Wenders to head jury of Berlin film festival

Award-winning filmmaker Wim Wenders will be president of the jury at the 2026 Berlin film festival, known as the Berlinale, from February 12-22.

German FA regrets high ticket prices for 2026 World Cup

The German Football Federation (DFB) has expressed regret about high ticket prices for its fans at next year's World Cup but said the prices were set by the ruling body FIFA.

Bayern Munich close to buying new stadium for women's team

The council of the municipality of Unterhaching near Munich has given the green light to sell its 15,000-seat Sportpark Unterhaching stadium to Bayern for €7.25 million ($8.5 million).

Boss of Germany's Flixtrain upbeat with plans for new fleet from 2028

German rail operator Flixtrain will start putting another 65 new long-distance trains into service from 2028, as the company strives to compete with the state-owned Deutsche Bahn.

No let-up in insolvencies in Germany

The number of insolvencies in Germany is still high compared to last year, with 5.7% more in November this year than a year ago, according to official figures released on Friday.