Trump's suspension of military aid to Ukraine triggered immediate European responses. Von der Leyen proposed an €800 billion European rearmament plan, while Macron offered nuclear deterrence cooperation. The morning crisis pushed Zelenskyy to suggest air and maritime ceasefires under "Trump's strong leadership."
By afternoon, CDU/CSU and SPD announced a dramatic shift in German fiscal policy, agreeing to modify the constitutional debt brake for a €500 billion special fund for defense and infrastructure. The agreement marks the largest peacetime borrowing in German history, following Wednesday's coalition talks.
Media coverage showed increasing acceptance of a post-American security architecture, with European leaders positioning for new defense arrangements. The Mannheim ramming incident investigation continued, with authorities focusing on mental health factors while addressing targeted disinformation attempts to falsely implicate Arab suspects.