DW Berlin Briefing - Inside German politics

2025 exposed Germany's dependence on China, as a source of rare earths and a market and production site for its industry. Berlin says it wants to "de-risk" the relationship. But is it serious? Or is it in too deep? Richard Walker sat down with experts Noah Barkin and Clifford Coonan to analyze Germany's options.

Germany’s chancellor demanded a breakthrough. The EU summit delivered mixed results: Ukraine funding secured, Mercosur delayed. Is Friedrich Merz cementing Germany’s leadership—or exposing Europe to unnecessary risks? Berlin Briefing host Nina Haase, DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner and Daniel Goffart (WirtschaftsWoche) unpack the stakes, the style, and what this means for 2026.

Could it really happen? Why you shouldn’t hold your breath for a quick ceasefire in Ukraine: In this episode of Berlin Briefing, host Michaela Küfner discusses the current flurry of diplomacy between Washington, Berlin, Kyiv, and Moscow over Trump’s revised plan for Ukraine, and what the new US security strategy means for Europeans and the future of the transatlantic partnership.

The far-right AfD has launched ‘Generation Germany,’ a new youth wing aiming to groom future party leaders. In this Berlin Briefing episode, host Nina Haase and journalists Matthew Moore and Hans Pfeifer unpack its founding, the protests, ties to extremist networks, and what it means for Germany’s political landscape.

"Russia’s wish list"- that’s how many in Washington and Berlin labelled Washington’s initial 28-point plan toward peace in Ukraine, when it first became public. DW’s Nina Haase and Michaela Küfner discuss with Dominik Tolksdorf (DGAP) how a total sell-out of Europe was prevented, and how deep this latest crack in US-German relations now runs in the transatlantic alliance.