Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer

Germans voted on Sept. 26 in one of the most unpredictable elections in its recent history, with Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats in a tight race for her crown as she prepares to leave the political stage.

The epochal election ushers in the end of 16 years in power for Merkel and places Germany, a byword for stability, in a new period of uncertainty.

The defense ministers discussed the issue of introducing Rapid Reaction Corps at Brdo near Kranj, but the plan is difficult to implement.

Victor Orban's party Fidesz is kicked out from the European People's Party (EPP), the centre-right political bloc in the European Parliament, today.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has reiterated claims that Greece is in violation of international treaties by continuing to maintain troops on several islands of the eastern Aegean, adding that Greek military officials have even conducted "provocative" visits to these islands.

Turkey is an important NATO ally, the German defense minister said on Feb. 2, following a meeting with her Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in the capital Berlin.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right party has elected Armin Laschet, the pragmatic governor of Germany's most populous state, as its new leader- sending a signal of continuity months before an election in which voters will decide who becomes the new chancellor.

On Saturday, 1,001 delegates of the Christian Democratic Union will elect their new leader.

The United States has refused to extend the new START program, which expires on February 5, 2021, and concerns the control of nuclear weapons, TASS reminds.
"It has already begun. This is obvious. Everything began after the US pullout from the ABM treaty", the Russian President explained.
Putin said that Russia "creates an umbrella for itself".

Ljubljana – The defence ministers of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia held an online meeting on Thursday at the initiative of Germany’s Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to exchange views on the German six-month stint at the helm of the European Council and discuss the priorities for next year, when Portugal and Slovenia will take over successively.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's heir apparent shook up German politics on Feb. 10 by declaring she would step down as the governing party's leader and not run for chancellor, fueling uncertainty in the country seen as Europe's anchor of stability amid Brexit and pressure from the far right.