Morning coverage centered on Hamas's release of three hostages while warning Netanyahu about deal compliance. The defense factory in Trubia continued its revenue surge from Trump's military spending plans. By afternoon, Zelensky's call for a European army dominated headlines, positioning it as essential for gaining US respect under Trump. Scholz confronted US Vice President Vance over democratic interference, while Trump's team explicitly excluded Europeans from Ukraine peace talks.
Internal coalition tensions over minimum wage taxation persisted, with Treasury maintaining its position despite opposition. The government's divide deepened as budget negotiations stalled. Trump announced reciprocal tariffs against the EU, continuing the economic confrontation that began with steel tariffs. By evening, US-Russia negotiations for a Trump-Putin summit were confirmed, furthering the previous days' pattern of European exclusion from Ukraine peace initiatives.