Germany news: Merz says Trump's Russia diesel deal 'out of question' for Europe

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Donald Trump's diesel deal with Russia would be "out of the question" for Germany and the EU. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition has been rocked by a major resignation.

Merz said the order of the day was new EU sanctions on Russia not diesel deals with Russia, saying Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy 'can rely on Germany'.

Bavarian state premier Markus Söder has accused some conservative bloc members in Saxony-Anhalt of being cowards.

Bärbel Bas, Germany's education minister and the co-chair of the SPD, has resigned amid coalition infighting with Chancellor Merz's CDU.

The winner of Germany's most prestigious literary peace prize has cricized the country's support of the Israeli government.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticized US President Donald Trump's agreement to import Russian diesel, calling for tougher sanctions on Moscow instead. "We take note of the agreement between the United States and Russia on diesel exports," Merz said in Berlin on Monday. "For Germany and Europe, such a decision is out of the question."

Merz said Russia would only negotiate seriously under pressure and called for further sanctions following Russian attacks on Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure. He also questioned Trump's announcement of an immediate halt to Russian and Ukrainian attacks on each other's energy facilities, saying Moscow had responded with massive strikes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Trump's announcement of the partial ceasefire came as news to him, while the Kremlin has not confirmed that it has taken effect. Merz reaffirmed Germany's support for Ukraine and said efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace would be discussed at this week's EU summit.

Germany's Alexander Zverez will take the top spot in the men's singles tennis rankings at the end of the year. A shock straight set defeat for Carlos Alcaraz on Monday in Shanghai against unseeded Belgian player Zizou Bergs made Zverev claiming the number 1 ranking innevitable. Aged 29, Zverev will be the oldest player ever to take over the top spot for the first time in his career.

The Social Democrats (SPD) have opened up coalition talks with the Greens and the Left party in Germany's northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Lower Pomerania, sources confirmed to local media. The three parties have already held exploratory discussions on working together and received permission from party leadership bodies to move forward.

Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has nixed a planned trip to India, saying that the Social Democrats need to hold a new vote for party leadership. His announcement came shortly after the resignation of his party co-chair Bärbel Bas.

German Foreign Minsiter Johann Wadephul praised an "unprecedented sanctions blow" the European Union has levelled against Moscow. "We are making it harder for Putin to continue his war of aggression in violation of international law, and his cynical attempt to wear down Ukraine's civilian population through murderous bombing campaigns," Wadephul said in a statement.

Franco-British lawyer and author Philippe Sands accepted the prestigious Peace Price presented every year at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Sands used his acceptance speech to criticize Germany's "inappropiate silence" on the Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. "It's not antisemitic. It's not anti-Israel. It's the truth," he said of the government's behavior.

Public broadcaster WDR has said that 14-year-old was badly injured on Sunday night in Cologne after engaging in "trainsurfing." The boy is reportedly fighting for his life at a local hospital after being struck by a powerful electrical current moving between the train and the overhead wires that power it.

Bavarian leader Markus Söder said during an interview with public broadcaster ARD that members of the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt who voted for a member of the far-right in a secret ballot should show backbone. Last week, Tobias Rausch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was elected state parliamentary speaker. Söder called it "pretty poor form," from the CDU members in Saxony-Anhalt, saying they should "at least have the backbone" to make their decision public.

Citing "open attacks" by members of senior coalition partners the CDU, Bärbel Bas has stepped down as co-leader of the SPD and as federal labor minister. She also said a recent death in the family had influenced her decision to resign.