Germany’s armed forces have signed a €1.7 billion contract with Rheinmetall for access to satellite-based reconnaissance data with regular radar images supplied through a partnership with Finnish satellite operator ICEYE.
The German Navy has taken delivery of its first NH90 Sea Tiger helicopter, with a total of 31 Sea Tigers planned to replaced the Sea Lynx fleet. The NH90 is equipped with sonar systems and can deploy torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
The Kremlin has rejected calls for a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine, saying it wants to end the war rather than pause fighting. The response followed an appeal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after peace talks in Berlin.
Germany’s parliament will consider spending around €50 billion on defence this week, covering major arms procurement for the Bundeswehr, including Arrow 3 and Patriot air defence systems and Puma infantry fighting vehicles.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said any European protection force for Ukraine would depend on Russia’s response and unresolved legal and command issues, following talks in Berlin for a force to help secure a possible ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a U.S. delegation arrived in Berlin for talks on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ahead of discussions involving European partners. Russian officials have expressed skepticism about the talks, which will continue on Monday.
Germany has accused Russia of carrying out a major cyberattack and a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at influencing the country’s federal election and undermining democratic institutions, alleging a 2024 cyberattack on Germany’s air-traffic control provider can be attributed to the Russian hacker group Fancy Bear, linked to military intelligence agency GRU.
Foreign policy advisers from the United States, Ukraine, Germany and other partners are set to resume talks on a possible peace framework for Ukraine in Berlin, according to government sources. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to take part, with discussions following several earlier rounds of negotiations since November. The talks come as diplomatic efforts continue alongside ongoing fighting, with both Russia and Ukraine reporting casualties from drone and missile strikes.
Rheinmetall has won a high three-digit million-euro contract to supply Skyranger 30 short-range air-defence systems to the Dutch Defence Ministry. Deliveries of the mobile and dismounted systems are scheduled to begin in 2028 and conclude by 2029. The order also includes command-and-control nodes, transport platforms, simulators and logistics support for integration into the Netherlands’ existing air-defence architecture.
Croatia will purchase 44 German-made Leopard 2A8 tanks, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced after talks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Berlin. KNDS Deutschland recently said it had received orders for 350 Leopard 2A8 tanks, including 123 from the German Bundeswehr.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine’s response to the revised US peace plan addresses the issue of potential territorial concessions — a central obstacle in efforts to end Russia’s war. European leaders have invited the US to discuss the proposal this weekend, with further talks possible in Berlin, next week.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has dismissed the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy, which portrays freedom of expression in Europe as eroding. Speaking in Berlin, he said Germany needs no advice on free speech protections and defended the country’s constitutional safeguards and free media.
Germany’s Bundestag has passed legislation to introduce a new voluntary military service from January 1, requiring young men to undergo medical checks and be added to a national register while keeping service itself voluntary. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius urged support for the measure, arguing that core democratic freedoms must be actively defended. The law also allows parliament to trigger needs-based conscription if recruitment goals are not met.
Germany has activated the first operational elements of the Arrow 3 missile defence system, giving the country and its partners an early-warning and interception capability against long-range ballistic missiles for the first time. The €3.6-billion system—developed with Israel and the US—marks Germany’s first long-range missile shield and forms a key part of the European Sky Shield Initiative.
Global defence revenues surged to a record $679 billion in 2024, driven by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and rising geopolitical tensions, according to new SIPRI data. The world’s 100 biggest arms makers saw sales grow 5.9 percent, with strong increases in Europe and steady dominance by U.S. firms. SpaceX entered the Top 100 for the first time, while China posted a rare decline due to procurement disruptions.
