AI-generated summary
Since Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's visit to Moscow in January 2022, shortly before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there had been no direct meeting between German and Russian foreign ministers. Relations deteriorated further with sanctions such as the closure of the Russian house in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn after the attempted Leipzig drone attack.
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AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Further diplomatic contacts between Germany and Russia are being sought in order to maintain communication.
Likely · Within weeks
Germany will step up its warnings against Russian sabotage and explosive attacks and may take countermeasures.
Very likely · Within days

In Madrid, tens of thousands demonstrated against the forced eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, who was evicted from her apartment after 70 years. The protest under the motto “Ni una Maricarmen más” called for rent relief, better protection against evictions and a reform of tenancy law. The government is planning a new legislative decree on housing policy.
After the AfD's state election victories in three federal states, Hesse's Prime Minister Boris Rhein emphasizes the need to continue the discussion initiated by Chancellor Friedrich Merz about the cityscape and migration policy and to draw lessons from it, while the AfD is at 29 percent nationwide and the CDU/CSU at 19 percent.

Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul held a surprise bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York. He spoke about grain exports from Ukraine and Russia, the drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport and German support for Ukraine. Wadephul emphasized that Germany is ready to negotiate, but Russia is currently not showing a constructive negotiating position.

The European Union is providing more than 700 million euros for displaced people and people affected by crises. The package includes 380 million euros for migration-related measures in sub-Saharan Africa, 252 million euros for humanitarian aid in conflict and disaster areas, as well as funds for the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and for Ukraine, Palestine and Lebanon.
The CDU Mühlenbecker Land is demanding consequences from party leader Friedrich Merz, while Green leader Franziska Brantner is setting conditions for a Berlin coalition with the Left and the SPD. At the same time, church representatives are calling for a ban on the AfD, the SPD is pushing for a female candidate for federal president, and in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD and BSW are negotiating the MDR and a Corona investigation committee. The Left Berlin has accepted exploratory talks with the Greens and the SPD.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Sergei Lavrov met in New York for the first time since the start of the Ukraine war. Despite intensive discussions, there were no signs of rapprochement. Wadephul called for de-escalation and serious Russian readiness to end the war, while Lavrov questioned the usefulness of the exchange and referred to previous statements.