The morning revealed a Ukraine ceasefire proposal gaining momentum, with US envoys heading to Moscow while Ukraine signaled readiness to withdraw from Russian territory. Trump released military aid as part of this initiative, continuing yesterday's breakthrough.
Simultaneously, trade tensions escalated as new US steel and aluminum tariffs took effect, prompting EU announcements of "strong" countermeasures worth €26 billion. The EU specifically targeted Trump-supporting regions.
Domestically, strikes paralyzed NRW cities while corruption raids at Munich's KVR uncovered residence permits sold for €150. The BND's assessment that COVID-19 originated from a Wuhan lab accident surfaced as "Berlin's best-kept secret."
By evening, coalition tensions intensified as Greens blocked the Merz-SPD financial package, threatening government formation talks. Porsche reported a 30% profit decline, while Puma announced job cuts, reflecting broader economic challenges during this emerging trade conflict.