The day began with German media highlighting ongoing skepticism regarding the US-European relationship, particularly concerning a new US strategy and the potential impact of Donald Trump's presidency, which had been a consistent theme from previous days. Concurrently, Trump's frustration with stalled Ukraine peace talks and his proposal for a "free economic zone" in Donbass gained traction. In the early afternoon, a major development saw the German government summon the Russian ambassador following a cyberattack and disinformation campaign during the Bundestag election, indicating escalating concerns over Russian influence.
Later in the afternoon, discussions continued on the future of the combustion engine in the EU, following previous day's reports on its potential reversal. Towards the evening, NATO's Secretary General issued a warning about a return to "war like our grandparents' time," and CSU leader Markus Söder experienced a setback in his re-election as party chairman, receiving his worst-ever result.