The morning headlines focused on the EU summit's rejection of Chancellor Friedrich Merzâs plan to seize frozen Russian assets. By mid-morning, editors across the political spectrum emphasized a diplomatic shift as the EU instead finalized a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine, a move framed as a personal setback for Merzâs leadership in Brussels. This narrative of isolation was reinforced following the failure of the Mercosur trade deal due to Franco-Italian opposition. In the early afternoon, domestic challenges eclipsed foreign policy as Merzâs preferred candidate for the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung was defeated by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in a surprise internal vote. Editors characterized this as a significant erosion of the Chancellorâs authority within his own party. Simultaneously, media outlets analyzed Vladimir Putinâs annual press conference as a propaganda offensive. The day concluded with the US Justice Departmentâs initial release of the Epstein files and reports of rising health insurance premiums for 2026.