Germany has been taking the lead in getting to the bottom of the issue. While the ships in question often operate with unclear ownership and inadequate insurance, it believes the ships are all part of a “dark fleet” Russia maintains to sever and thus disrupt power and telecommunications among the European nations.

By America Hernandez and Christoph Steitz PARIS/FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Austrian energy company OMV's Romanian business has struck a deal to supply Uniper with gas from its Black Sea project from 2027, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters,

Germany will support Ukraine with additional guided missiles for the Iris-T air defense systems in the short term, states German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, according to N-TV. Pistorius explained that these missiles were initially intended for the Bundeswehr but are now being redirected directly from production to Ukraine.

Ukraine's leader says partners sending ground troops would help "force Russia into peace," as America's European allies ponder Trump's next move.

The US has committed over US$63.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia's invasion. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Mystery still surrounds the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines linking Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea in the fall of 2022, while an undersea cable linking Sweden to Estonia was damaged in October 2023. A gas pipeline connecting Estonia to Finland was also damaged in the same month, later blamed on a Chinese ship dragging its anchor.

Three men have been charged with spying on U.S. military bases for Russia and plotting attacks on American personnel in retaliation for Western support of Ukraine, German prosecutors said.

As Angela Merkel, the longtime former chancellor of Germany, said in November 2024, the looming second Trump presidency “is a challenge to the world, especially for multilateralism.”

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announces plan to move 2 Patriot air defense systems, 200 soldiers to Poland within next few weeks for expected 6 months - Anadolu Ajansı

Austria's OMV has struck a deal to supply Germany's Uniper with gas from its Black Sea project from 2027, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Europe seeks new ways to boost energy security after cutting ties with Russia.

For years, Germany has been working to elevate its status within the United Nations. However, Russia has now sent a clear signal that is not in Berlin's favor. Moscow has categorically rejected Germany's request for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.