Friedrich Merz, candidate for German Chancellor, said he’s ready to talk to Putin about ending the war in Ukraine, but only under certain conditions.

“If there's a reason and consensus among European and transatlantic partners, then yes,” he noted.

Merz added that he would issue Moscow an ultimatum to halt hostilities within 24 hours; if ignored, he would supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles and permit strikes deep into Russian territory.

#Germany #Ukraine #Russia

Trump, Rente, Jobs: Friedrich Merz und sein Kanzlerplan

CDU-Chef Friedrich Merz spricht im stern über seine politischen Pläne, den Umgang mit Trump und die Zukunft Deutschlands.

stern.de (www.stern.de)

The Biden administration has lifted its ban on deploying U.S. military contractors to Ukraine, allowing American firms to assist directly with the maintenance and repair of critical systems like F-16s and Patriot air defenses.

Biden administration to allow American military contractors to deploy to Ukraine for first time since Russia’s invasion | CNN Politics

The Biden administration has lifted a de facto ban on American military contractors deploying to Ukraine to help the country’s military maintain and repair US-provided weapons systems, particularly F16 fighter jets and Patriot air defense systems, an official with direct knowledge of the plan told CNN.

CNN (edition.cnn.com)

Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, shares that a reliable source claims North Korean soldiers in Russia are experiencing unfettered internet access for the first time and are consuming large amounts of pornography.

Canada has delivered a batch of LAV 6.0 ACSV armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. In September 2023, Canada promised to send 50 of these APCs over three years. The first vehicles arrived in Germany in June 2024 for training Ukrainian crews. Details on the number of vehicles delivered today are still unknown.