Israel has urged Germany to lift its partial arms export halt and travel warning following the Gaza ceasefire. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said the restrictions should end and backed German participation in the Gaza peace process, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz signalled the export freeze may be reviewed.
Germany will deploy Eurofighter jets to Poland’s Malbork Air Base as part of NATO’s new Eastern Sentry mission to strengthen air patrols along the alliance’s eastern flank. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the deployment will enhance NATO’s visibility and readiness amid repeated Russian airspace and drone incursions affecting Poland, Estonia, Denmark, and Romania.
Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned of legal challenges to a bill expanding the Bundeswehr’s role in domestic drone defence after a surge in suspected Russian drone sightings. The plan would strengthen police capabilities and create a joint defence centre, but faces constitutional concerns over military involvement in internal security.
Germany’s intelligence chief Martin Jäger warned that the country is already “under fire” from Russia and must prepare for further escalation. Speaking to lawmakers, he said Moscow seeks to destabilize NATO and intimidate Europe amid rising tensions, airspace violations, and drone incidents over German infrastructure.
Germany plans to order over 600 Skyranger air defence systems from Rheinmetall in a deal worth more than €9 billion to strengthen its drone defence. The mobile system, now in testing, can be mounted on Boxer and Leopard 1 vehicles and is designed to counter modern aerial threats, including drone swarms.
The German cabinet approved a bill for setting up a National Security Council and introducing voluntary military service, which could turn into conscription in the absence of sufficient volunteers, of which an initial 15,000 are required with a target of 80,000, whom the government plans to entice with high salaries.
The suspension of military exports to Israel represents a major step for Berlin, which has been one of its strongest supporters since the October 7, 2023 attacks and has repeatedly blocked EU initiatives to issue sanctions over the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Thyssenkrupp is to retain a majority stake of 51% in TKMS through a new holding company. The remaining 49% of TKMS shares are to be transferred to Thyssenkrupp shareholders in proportion to their shareholdings, making them direct shareholders of TKMS.
150 German soldiers with five Eurofighter jets began their deployment at the Minsk Mazowiecki military airfield in Poland to monitor its airspace for a few weeks upon its request, while, so far, having performed the same role from Rostock, in north-eastern Germany.
Germany’s defence ministry said it is ready to deliver two promised Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine from its inventory of nine systems, with plans to replace them with new orders from the U.S.
The Main Ground Combat System project is intended to replace the Leopard 2 battle tank with an identical vehicle hull, but adding a modular system with a more powerful main weapon, an unmanned turret and modern protection systems against drones.
The meeting is to take place on Friday in Istanbul at the level of deputy foreign ministers and would be the first round of negotiations since a ceasefire came into force after Israel’s war against Iran, which mainly targeted Iran’s nuclear and military facilities.
Germany has promised to supply Ukraine with two Patriot missile systems, purchased from the United States. However, as the systems are not yet available, Germany will hand over two of its nine remaining Patriot systems to Ukraine and later receive replacements from the U.S.
The treaty underscores the countries’ mutual defence obligations as NATO allies, which is made especially significant given the UK’s status as a nuclear power. The goal is to boost European deterrence and defence over the next decade. The two sides plan to jointly develop a European-made long-range weapons system capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometres away, addressing a capability gap with Russian medium-range missiles.
Germany’s top court on Tuesday rejected a constitutional complaint over the government’s legal responsibility for U.S. drone attacks carried out in Yemen with the assistance of facilities at a U.S. air base in Ramstein. The Constitutional Court, based in the south-western city of Karlsruhe, denied the suit brought by two Yemeni nationals whose relatives were killed in a U.S. drone attack in Yemen in 2012.
