Olaf Scholz News

«Both sides have to make concessions,» said Manuela Schwesig of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD as the exploratory talks began in Berlin. «Everyone has to pull together and make an effort,» added Schwesig, state premier of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Ukraine has signalled support for a U.S.-proposed pause in attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. The agreement, backed by Washington and Moscow, follows a call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, made it clear that Kyiv needed more details before making a final decision. «After we get the details from the U.S. president, from the U.S. side, we will give our answer,» Zelensky said in an online briefing. He added that Ukraine would honour the agreement as long as Moscow also adhered to it. «Our side will maintain it,» he stated, but stressed that the U.S. should act as «guarantors of control over the implementation.»

It comes as US President Donald Trump's increasingly hostile stance towards traditional European allies has shaken faith in US commitment to the continent's security. Here's what Germany's armed forces — the Bundeswehr — are thought to need, and how they might get it: — What is the state of the Bundeswehr? - Germany cashed in a so-called «peace dividend» after the Cold War. Like other Western countries, it reduced the size of its armed forces and directed more spending to areas like welfare.

Germany's outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday discussed U.S. President Donald Trump's role in negotiations to achieve peace in Kyiv's three-year-old war with Russia. «Both agreed on the importance of the U.S. president's leadership role, also with a view to achieving a swift start to a ceasefire and lasting peace for Ukraine», a German government spokesperson said. Following the call, Zelenskiy said on X he had held «an honest conversation about various issues and our vision for the future security architecture» with Scholz.

Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Germany’s conservative opposition party, is set to win the election held on Sunday. With this outcome, Friedrich Merz is expected to become Germany’s next chancellor. The ruling Social Democrats, led by Olaf Scholz, are seeing a sharp decline in support, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on track for its strongest result since World War II.

Donald Trump won re-election to the White House.

As it stands, the conservative favourite, Friedrich Merz, and his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party are expected to be the largest party in the Bundestag, but it is unlikely that any party will gain enough seats for an outright majority in the lower house.  According to polling from YouGov, the CDU/CSU is expected to return just under 30% of the vote, with the nationalist AfD coming in second and at almost 20% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SDP), of which Chancellor Olaf Scholz belongs, is expected to secure only 16% of the total number of votes. ...

Here are key things to know:

Germany's government has slashed its 2025 growth forecast for the country’s economy, Europe’s biggest, to just 0.3% after it shrank for two consecutive years

Merz, the frontrunner to become the next German Chancellor, has described the European Union’s asylum system as “dysfunctional” and wants to crack down on irregular immigration at the national level. Although opponents worry this would bring Germany into conflict with its neighbors, many EU countries have already hardened their stance on this issue. German-driven change might be more welcome than many anticipate in Berlin.

Auschwitz survivors were being joined by world leaders Monday to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German death camp by Soviet troops, one of the last such gatherings of those who suffered its horrors. The anniversary at the site of the camp, which Nazi Germany set up in occupied Poland during World War Two to murder European Jews, was being attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Britain's King Charles, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish President Andrzej Duda and many other leaders. They were not due to make speeches, but rather to listen for perhaps the last time to those who suffered and witnessed at first hand one of humanity's greatest atrocities. Israel sent education minister Yoav Kisch.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In December, American billionaire and Trump confidant Elon Musk posted a six-word sentence on his social-media platform, X, that jolted Germany’s political landscape. “Only the AfD can save Germany," he wrote, embracing the far-right populist Alternative for Germany party, which calls for expelling illegal migrants, leaving the European Union and getting closer to Russia.

The German economy shrank for the second straight year in 2024 as worried consumers held back on spending and Chinese competition ate into the country’s traditional exports of cars and industrial machinery

Elon Musk's X, with the defence department saying it had become increasingly «unhappy» with developments at the social media platform.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Europe is beset by troubles, and the policies of the incoming Trump administration will deepen them. During his first term, Donald Trump insisted that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's European members pay more for their own defense.

Elon Musk has called on the people of Germany to «say no» to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. His statement comes after Germany's ruling Social Democrats (SPD) on Saturday announced Scholz as the party's candidate for federal elections set to take place on December 23. Musk made the statement on X in response to two news reports — one about SPD nominating Scholz for German Chancellor again and another June 24 report that said that a woman convicted of «offending» migrant gang rapists receives longer prison sentences than the rapists. In response to the two posts shared on X, Elon Musk wrote, «Sag Nein zu Scholz!» which translates to «Say No to Scholz» in English.

Fresh from pouring his money and energies into helping Donald Trump win reelection, Elon Musk has trained his sights on Europe

Olaf Scholz. But last week, he said something truly worthy of Confucius: 'Don't feed the troll.' Elon Musk has been on a spree of insults targeting him ('fool', 'Oaf Schitz') and other fellow Social Democrat politicians in Germany. Yes, surprise, surprise, Trump's CEO isn't a big fan of centre-left thinking and has been voicing/X-ing support for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Elon Musk drew criticism from German politicians from the government and opposition on Sunday for an opinion piece he wrote backing the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) which they deemed «intrusive» outside influence.