In Brief

• A German court in Hamburg rejected the defense's request to close the case regarding the explosions on the "Nord Stream" pipelines, emphasizing that German law does not limit the defendant's right to defense.
• 87% of Germans express concern about the activities of Fritz Merz's government, and 58% would support his resignation, pointing to rising prices and issues in education.
• Germany opposes granting Canada the status of "associated member" in the EU, highlighting a division within the Union on this issue.
• The German government does not plan to activate the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, emphasizing that Russia is not a reliable energy partner.
• Chancellor Merz noted that ending the war in Ukraine requires the participation of Ukraine and Europe in negotiations with Russia.

Ukrainian Press

According to the Ukrainian portal Espreso, a German court in Hamburg rejected the defense's request to close the case regarding the underwater explosions on the "Nord Stream" pipelines. The defense argued that a former officer of the Ukrainian intelligence could not testify due to confidentiality, but the court stated that German law does not limit his right to defense. The trial is ongoing, and the defendant is suspected of organizing the attacks that took place in September 2022. (Таємниця за законом України не допомогла захисту: суд у Гамбурзі не закрив справу про підрив "Північних потоків" – Espreso) NV similarly reports, adding that the court emphasized that German law does not limit the defendant's right to testify in connection with the norms of another state's service (Суд в Гамбурге отказался закрыть дело украинца о подрыве Северных потоков – NV).

According to the Ukrainian Європейська правда, the majority of Germans express concern about the activities of the government led by Fritz Merz, noting rising prices and the quality of education. Research conducted by the Forsa Institute showed that 87% of respondents are very or extremely concerned about the situation, and 58% would support the chancellor's resignation. Additionally, 79% of Germans express concerns about the shortcomings of the education system, and 58% worry about the possibility of Germany's involvement in an armed conflict. (Більшість німців вважають, що уряд Мерца не справляється з проблемами – Європейська правда)

Ukrainian press reports that discussions are still ongoing in the European Union regarding granting Canada the status of "associated member." Germany, which opposes the use of this term, was one of several countries that blocked the silence procedure, meaning the topic will be discussed at the upcoming meeting of EU ambassadors. According to Європейська правда, the division in the EU on this issue shows how controversial the idea of associated membership, proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, is (ЗМІ: ЄС ще не дійшов згоди щодо асоційованого членства Канади за два дні до саміту з нею – Європейська правда).

According to Ukrainian NV, the German government does not plan to activate the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and its certification remains suspended. In response to a query from the far-right party Alternative for Germany, Berlin emphasized that Russia has proven to be an unreliable partner in energy cooperation, a result of its actions in 2022 when it gradually reduced gas supplies. Germany also supports EU sanctions against the Russian energy sector, including the ban on operations related to the Nord Streams, introduced as part of the 18th sanctions package in July 2025 (Россия — ненадежный партнер. Правительство Германии заявило, что не рассматривает запуск Северного потока — 2 – NV).

According to Ukrainian Espreso, German Chancellor Merz emphasized that ending the war in Ukraine is impossible without the participation of Ukraine and Europe in negotiations with Russia. He noted that Germany's support for Ukraine is not only a matter of defending its territorial integrity but also protecting the European political order. Merz warned of a scenario in which Russia, China, and the United States could reach an agreement without Kyiv's involvement, while Germany and other European countries are working on a format for talks with the Russian government. (Мерц: завершення війни неможливе без участі України та Європи в переговорах – Espreso)

Russian Press

According to Lenta.ru (propaganda media), the German company Helsing announced the development of a system to intercept Russian "Geran" drones. New missiles, including the AD-1 Inferno, are expected to be ready for market introduction in the second half of 2027. The system is set to use artificial intelligence to effectively combat threats from these drones. (В Германии против «Гераней» решили применить «Инферно» – Lenta.ru (media propagandowe))

In the Russian propaganda press, Lenta.ru (propaganda media) reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov referred to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders as "political masochists." Lavrov criticized them for seeking to defeat Russia, suggesting that they are willing to sacrifice the well-being of their citizens to support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia (Лавров назвал лидеров стран Европы «политическими мазохистами» – Lenta.ru (media propagandowe)). Vesti.ru reports that Lavrov expressed his opinion at a meeting with editors of African media, suggesting that European politicians are trying to convince society to limit incomes and social services in the name of supporting Ukraine (Лавров назвал европейских политиков политическими мазохистами – Wiesti.ru (media propagandowe)). RIA Novosti reports that Lavrov expressed his opinion at a meeting with editors of African media, suggesting that European politicians are trying to convince society to limit incomes and social services in the name of supporting Ukraine (Лавров назвал европейских политиков политическими мазохистами – RIA Nowosti (media propagandowe)).

According to RIA Novosti (propaganda media), the "Mainz" team lost to "Bochum" in the second round of the German Cup, ending the match with a score of 0:2. Goals for "Bochum" were scored by Christian Rasmussen and Philipp Hofmann. The match took place in Bochum, and the draw for the next round is scheduled for November 1 ("Майнц" проиграл "Бохуму" из второй Бундеслиги – RIA Nowosti (media propagandowe)).

Kremlin propaganda in RT (propaganda media) reports that a German court in Hamburg rejected the defense's request to end the trial regarding the alleged attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, arguing that the defendant, a Ukrainian officer, cannot be protected by silence. The court stated that German law does not limit his right to defense, meaning the trial will continue, despite the defense claiming that the defendant cannot testify due to confidentiality (German court sinks bid to cancel Nord Stream trial – RT (media propagandowe)). Similar information is reported by the Ukrainian portal Espreso, which also states that the court did not consider the defense's arguments.

Kremlin propaganda in RT (propaganda media) reports that German special forces KSK are preparing for a potential war with Russia, as confirmed by the unit's commander. In light of tensions between Moscow and NATO, German officials warn that the army must be ready for possible confrontation by the end of the decade. KSK is adjusting its training to face Russian forces, and the commander emphasizes that soldiers must be prepared for prolonged operations in the field if conflict arises. (Scandal-hit German special forces prepare for war with Russia – commander – RT (media propagandowe))

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