Peter Magyar has reaffirmed his hope to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early June in Berehove, according to Ukrainska Pravda. Magyar tied Budapest's consent to opening the first negotiation chapter in EU accession talks with Kyiv to a condition.
Falling oil prices gave the German stock market a boost in the afternoon, as reported by Tagesschau. At the same time, rising bond yields continue to unsettle investors.
Russia accuses Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania of complicity in drone attacks originating from Ukraine. The Baltic states reject the allegations and seek support from the EU and NATO, as reported by Zdfheute.
The German Animal Welfare Association has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that it provides too little money for animal shelters. Many facilities are on the verge of collapse, according to Spiegel.
Donald Trump has declared that all of his endorsed candidates won in the Republican primaries on May 19, according to Guardian. The former president cited victories in Alabama, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Idaho, Oregon, and Kentucky, while longtime Representative Thomas Massie lost in Kentucky.
The German chemical industry is currently benefiting from panic buying due to the Iran war, but Evonik CEO Christian Kullmann warned at the Handelsblatt annual conference in Berlin that Chinese imports will soon return with full force.
Ukrainian state-owned companies Naftogaz and Ukrzaliznytsia are making scheduled loan repayments to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), according to EBRD Odile Renaud-Basso in an interview with the Kyiv Post.
The German cabinet has passed a reform draft aimed at making the driving license process more digital and affordable. Transport Minister Volker Wissing promises simpler procedures while maintaining high safety standards.
The federal government has introduced a law that would allow oil and gas heating systems to operate for significantly longer. Hamburg's Greens are demanding stricter rules, citing a state-level opt-out clause, as reported by FAZ.
Russia launched a massive drone attack on western and central Ukraine on May 20, the BBC reported, citing the Ukrainian Air Force.
Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) and Minister Verena Hubertz (SPD) answered questions from lawmakers during a 90-minute government question time in the Bundestag on Wednesday, as reported by Phoenix.
The Ukrainian Air Force shot down 75 of 84 Russian drones on May 20, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. Six drones hit their targets.
A driving license in Germany currently costs an average of 3,400 euros. Transport Minister Schnieder wants to simplify the rules to reduce costs, as reported by Tagesspiegel.
More than £52 million in public funds for social housing are at risk after two investment firms of the Heylo Housing Group went into administration. As the Guardian exclusively reports, 3,500 social homes could switch to the private sector.
The United States has carried out its first deportation flight to Sierra Leone, landing in the West African country as part of a deal that includes financial compensation.
Hertha BSC is sticking with coach Stefan Leitl. Managing director Peter Görlich reaffirmed the early job guarantee, even though the team suffered a 1-6 defeat at Arminia Bielefeld on the final matchday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has warned Russia of 'devastating consequences' if it uses nuclear weapons against Ukraine during joint exercises with Belarus. Rutte made the statement at a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
On the morning of May 20, an air raid alert was triggered in eastern Lithuania after a drone was spotted near the border with Belarus, prompting the evacuation of top officials and the suspension of flights and public transport in Vilnius.
Misbah Khan, deputy leader of the Green Party parliamentary group, has warned the German government against cutting parental allowance. Families are being increasingly burdened, Khan said on Deutschlandfunk.
A free online portal called "Toilets Make School" is designed to help schools improve their sanitary facilities. The German Toilet Organization (GTO) presented the offering in Berlin.
In Baden-Württemberg's state parliament, Landtag President Thomas Strobl (CDU) reprimanded Interior Minister Manuel Hagel (CDU) for applauding from the government bench. The plenum burst into laughter, as WELT reports.
The director of the German Orient Institute, Reinicke, has described Israel's settlement policy in the West Bank as a 'de facto annexation' and is calling for stronger countermeasures from the international community. As reported by Deutschlandfunk, Reinicke is particularly critical of the new settlement project 'E1'.
A married couple has been arrested in Munich. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office accuses them of spying for China at German universities.
Two major Russian oil refineries in Moscow and Ryazan have halted operations after Ukrainian drone attacks, the Kyivpost reports, citing Reuters and industry sources.
The Knesset has voted in a preliminary ballot to dissolve itself. The trigger is a dispute over military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews, as reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung.
A long-eared owl named Sunny, injured by a Russian kamikaze drone in Zaporizhzhia in February, is recovering in Dnipro but will never fly or hunt again, the Guardian reports.
The European Union will transfer €3.2 billion to Ukraine in mid-June as the first tranche of a €90 billion loan, the Kyivpost reports.
Russian strikes on Pryluky and Hlukhiv on Tuesday morning killed six people and wounded dozens, the BBC reported, citing Ukrainian authorities.
Lithuania has lifted an air alert after suspected drones approaching from Belarus were diverted. The incident occurred a day after NATO shot down a suspected stray Ukrainian drone over Estonia.
The German federal cabinet has approved a reform of driving school training aimed at making obtaining a driver's license cheaper and more flexible. Patrick Schnieder (CDU) called it a key to freedom, while TÜV and driving instructors warn of safety risks.
The German government has approved exceptions to noise protection regulations for the 2026 men's football World Cup, allowing public viewing broadcasts to continue late into the night.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have threatened a war that would extend far beyond the Middle East if the United States resumes attacks on Tehran. The warning came after US Donald Trump again threatened military strikes unless Iran accepts a deal to end the conflict.
Seven-term US Representative Thomas Massie has lost the Republican primary in Kentucky's fourth district to challenger Ed Gallrein, who was backed by Donald Trump, the Guardian reports.
The Russian armed forces have temporarily reduced their activity at the front. According to military expert Roman Svitan, Ukrainian defense forces are using this phase for successful operations.
After the largest Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region on May 17, Russian propagandists openly admit that Russia lags behind Ukraine technologically in drone defense. According to 24tv, propaganda blogger Andriy Klintsevich said Moscow may soon be unable to intercept all Ukrainian drones.
Environmental groups have reacted with alarm to the latest report from the Expert Council on Climate Issues. According to Deutschlandfunk, the panel sees Germany's 2030 climate goals in jeopardy.
The US Department of Defense has rejected reports that the deployment of 4,000 American soldiers to Poland was abruptly canceled. Pentagon spokesman Joel Valdes said the decision was made after extensive consultations, according to Ukrainska Pravda citing RMF24.
How does a woman react when her husband is arrested for child abuse? Director Marie Kreutzer's film "Gentle Monster" explores this perspective, as Spiegel reports.
Belarus and Russia have started a joint exercise on the use of nuclear weapons on May 18. Ukraine called on international partners to respond firmly, the BBC reports.
The US Treasury Department has extended the exemption for purchasing Russian oil already loaded on tankers by another 30 days, as announced by Secretary Scott Bessent.