German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has completed a public about-face on the US-Israeli war against Iran, moving from an initial posture that avoided calling the February 28 strikes a violation of international law and described Iran as a "terrorist regime" to a late-April declaration that the US had "no convincing strategy" -- drawing a furious Truth Social response from President Trump and triggering the announced withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany and the cancellation of a planned Tomahawk cruise missile deployment. The shift tracked Germany's domestic exposure: the Hormuz closure spiked energy costs and stifled an already weak economy, Merz's approval ratings fell, the AfD moved ahead of CDU/CSU in polls, and an ARD Deutschlandtrend survey found 58 percent of Germans considered the US-Israeli action unjustified. Political scientist Johannes Varwick of Halle University said the 100-day lesson is stark: "Germany and Europe must clearly define their own interests and not stand there like a deer in the headlights."

Germany's Foreign Office on Friday issued advisories strongly discouraging travel to Bahrain and Kuwait, citing a highly volatile regional security situation. The warnings follow Iran's Revolutionary Guard announcement that it targeted a US base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. A strike on Kuwait's international airport the same day killed one person and injured more than 60, local officials said.

The German government acknowledged on Friday that the Bundeswehr faces significant repair backlogs and spare parts shortages, but said NATO commitments are not at risk. A defense ministry spokesman cited weapons deliveries to Ukraine and a sharp increase in military exercises as contributing factors. The admission follows a media report citing an internal document from the ministry-owned maintenance firm HIL that described chaotic planning and warned of threats to combat readiness.

Germany's Expert Council on Integration and Migration (SVR) has warned that the new EU return regulation, agreed upon by member states on Monday, threatens fundamental rights and the rule of law. The SVR criticized planned sanctions for individuals required to leave, restrictions on legal advice, and the establishment of return hubs in third countries. It also opposed provisions allowing detention of families with children for up to 30 months, arguing this violates human rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The regulation aims to increase deportations from the EU but faces formal approval by governments and parliament.

Germany had previously campaigned for a non-permanent UN Security Council seat for the 2027-2028 term but lost to Portugal and Austria. Now, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a new bid for the 2035-36 term, stressing the need to avoid competing European candidacies and to prepare earlier. During a summit in Montenegro, Merz also proposed faster EU accession steps for Western Balkan states, including participation in SEPA, Erasmus+, and data roaming, and announced a London meeting with Macron, Starmer, and Zelenskyy on Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin peace negotiations with Ukraine during a visit to Mexico City. She stressed that European security matters require European involvement and that any discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine and its EU membership must include European nations. Her remarks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly proposed direct talks with Putin. (Note: The article initially misattributed the statement as coming from Wadephul, but it was Baerbock who made the remarks.)

The CDU has canceled its presidium meeting scheduled for late August in Magdeburg, which was intended to support the Saxony-Anhalt state party ahead of the September 6 state election. The decision was made at the request of Minister-President Sven Schulze to focus on the campaign, amid concerns that a high-profile federal party event could hurt the CDU's standing given declining approval for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government. The far-right AfD leads polls with over 40%.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul traveled to Mexico City on Thursday, a day after Germany suffered a historic defeat in the UN Security Council election, losing to Austria and Portugal. During the visit, Wadephul sought a priest's blessing at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and met with Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Álvarez. He reaffirmed Germany's commitment to the UN despite the setback, while the visit highlighted the importance of the recently signed EU-Mexico Global Agreement, which aims to boost trade and investment. The trip underscores Germany's efforts to maintain bilateral ties and find partners beyond traditional Western alliances.