Poland starts spot checks at German border – DW

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Local Germany

FACT CHECK: Can you get German citizenship 'at the click of a mouse'?

A recent report on the topic of the German naturalisation in Berlin stirred up tired political debates around dual citizenship and digitalising the citizenship application process. Here's a look at what's been said versus what's true about applying for naturalisation. It started with a BILD article 'Now you can get your German passport at the click of a mouse' was the headline of a recent article published by the tabloid newspaper BILD. The report highlights Berlin's newly digitalised citizenship application process and claims that a 'rapid increase in naturalizations is due to the fact that applicants are being checked in person less and less'. It points to the fact that the number of naturalisations in Berlin has increased significantly since the application process was put online. The report sparked immediate political backlash and stirred up old debates. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) voiced concern in response to the report. He cited a rule requiring citizenship applicants to acknowledge their commitment to Germany's constitution and values including the protection of Jewish life, and said, 'I can hardly imagine that this will work without a personal appointment'. FACT CHECK: Do new German citizens have to affirm Israel's right to exist? Berlin's Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) also engaged, telling BILD that he had asked the city-state's senator of the interior to clarify the citizenship process and explain how 'legal requirements are guaranteed'. Advertisement How does the digital citizenship process work? The idea, proposed by BILD, that one can easily obtain German citizenship 'at the click of a mouse' is demonstrably false. In fact, BILD 's own report includes a quote from a spokesperson for Berlin's immigration authority (LEA) that clarifies, 'A personal interview takes place after a positive application review.' Prospective Germans in Berlin must submit their naturalisation application and required documents to an online portal, which officials then check. This is different to many other German states where the process has not yet been digitalised. However, Berlin is not the only state to offer digital naturalisation services. In many parts of Bavaria applicants can submit their documents with the BayernPortal , and the city-state of Hamburg also has online submissions . With the digital process, in-person interviews to determine an applicant's German language knowledge are not necessary, for example. But applicants still need to prove their B1 level German language skills by passing an accredited language exam. The same goes for other basic requirements for citizenship – applicants' qualifications all need to be backed up by verifiable documents. CHECKLIST: What do I need to apply for German citizenship under the new law? If an application meets the requirements for German citizenship, then a final interview and ultimately a naturalisation ceremony are scheduled. Advertisement An LEA spokesman confirmed to Tagesspiegel that the digital process ensures that the same requirements are met, including 'inquiries to the security authorities such as the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Central Register...' The spokesman pushed back on the idea that the digital process is not as careful, adding, 'Rather the opposite is correct'. Efficiency as a scandal What was not mentioned in BILD 's report nor in the follow-up comments by Dobrindt or Wegner is that the LEA's digitalisation of the citizenship process (as well as other applications for residence permits ) came in response to a tremendous backlog of paperwork that had built up for years. As The Local reported, the Berlin authority's previous application process culminated in a backlog of some 40,000 applications last year – some of which in the form of physical files 'locked in a warehouse in Brandenburg' according to comments by the LEA director. READ ALSO: 'I've waited four years' - Foreigners in Berlin furious over German citizenship delays Since Berlin's LEA has rolled out its new digital application portal it has processed applications much more effectively, which partly explains why naturalisations in the capital city have increased significantly. Some online applicants in Berlin have reported receiving a decision on their application within a matter of weeks. That's significantly better than most immigration offices in Germany's big cities, many of which report expected processing times in the range of nine months to more than two years .

Ukraine updates: EU foreign ministers mull Russia sanctions – DW – 07/15/2025

DW

2 hours ago

DW

Ukraine updates: EU foreign ministers mull Russia sanctions – DW – 07/15/2025

EU foreign ministers were meeting in Brussels to talk Ukraine support and sanctions on Moscow, after Russia's Defense Ministry said it had destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones in an overnight attack. DW has more. Russia's Defense Ministry says its units have destroyed at least 55 drones during a Ukrainian attack on southern and southwestern Russia on Monday night. The drone attack comes after the US signaled that it was ramping up the pressure on the Kremlin, with President Donald Trump announcing tariffs and new weapons for Ukraine. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with China's leader Xi Jinping, while European Union foreign ministers were gathering in Brussels for a summit that will discuss the bloc's support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions on deputy Foreign Minister Artjoms Ursulskis has said Riga is confident any remaining issues blocking the approval of an 18th round of sanctions on Russia will be dealt with. Ursulskis, is attending the Brussels meeting instead of Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, who is visiting the US this week. Slovakia has reportedly been holding up the passage of the European Commission's June proposal amid concerns over sanctions on Russian oil. But Ursulskis said ministers would "iron out" those "small details on economic impacts." He also said the focus on the next round of sanctions should be Russia's so-called shadow fleet. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Moscow has used a number of opaquely owned and often non-insured ships to sell its oil while circumventing Western sanctions imposed in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. "It's not just about sanctioning ships, but companies helping to circumvent sanctions," Ursulskis said, which help "bring in a lot of money for the Russian economy." He said the 18th package of sanctions, once approved, would be "much bigger in its direct impact." "If we shrink Russia's economy, it will be less able to finance war," Ursulskis said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has welcomed Donald Trump's shifting stance towards Russia, saying "there is still a dance for two with the US." On Monday, Trump announced he would be imposing tariffs and sanctions on Russia and its trading partners unless a ceasefire in Ukraine is reached within 50 days. Budrys said the EU needs "to sync with the Americans and their timeline," calling Trump's deadline a "signal for Europe to prepare itself" in case the sanctions and tariffs do take effect. He pointed out that there are still EU member states that rely on oil from Russia. While the ministers are hoping to agree on a proposed 18th round of sanctions against Russia's energy and financial sectors, Budrys said the bloc should already "start preparing a 19th package." Despite the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to change his approach to the war, Budrys insisted that the sanctions "are effective." "Putin has to react when sanctions packages come along," the Lithuanian minister said, adding that "they have secondary effects" and are a factor "Putin listens to." Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, speaking to reporters upon his arrival at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, has said his country is ready to purchase US weapons for Ukraine. His remarks come after US President Donald Trump said Monday that the US would sell weapons, including Patriot missiles, to NATO countries, who would then provide them to Kyiv. "I am proud to say we're the biggest supporter of Ukraine per capita, so of course we're willing to do that," Rasmussen said, adding that "it goes hand in hand with the Danish Model." The Danish Model is a mechanism to provide direct support for Ukraine's defense industry Ukraine says the mechanism will provide a total of €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion) in 2025, some of which will be sourced from profits generated by seized Russian assets. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Denmark has provided approximately €9 billion in military support and around €867 million in civilian contribution, according to Denmark's foreign ministry. Rasmussen clarified that while Denmark does not have any of its own Patriot missiles, his government should "lean into that" and "provide the money" to purchase the highly advanced missile defense systems. "We must work out the details," Rasmussen explained. But, he added, it is "important we have American readiness to deliver these weapons." The Danish minister also said Trump's new messaging on Russia and Ukraine is "very, very important in terms of accepting providing weapons, but also the sanctions scheme." Read more about Patriot missiles and why they are key to helping Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has said he is "not done" with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The remarks, made during an interview with the BBC that was published on Tuesday, came hours after he had said he was "very unhappy" with Russia during a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump, who had previously pledged to end the war in Ukraine in a day, has tried to bring about peace talks and a ceasefire. But his attempts have fallen on deaf ears in Moscow, with Russia escalating its air strikes on Ukraine last week after Trump and Putin had spoken on the phone. During the interview with the BBC, Trump was asked if he was done with the Russian leader. "I'm disappointed in him, but I'm not done with him. But I'm disappointed in him," Trump said. Asked how he would convince Putin to "stop the bloodshed," Trump said "We're working on it." "We'll have a great conversation. I'll say: 'That's good, I'll think we're close to getting it done,' and then he'll knock down a building in Kyiv," the US president said. Amid his growing frustration over the lack of progress with peace talks, Trump on Monday said he was sending new weapons for Ukraine and threatened tariffs and sanctions on Russia and any countries that trade with it unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal within 50 days. The assertive posture is a major policy shift from Trump, who has previously suggested that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war, echoing Russia's narrative. He also tried to walk back pro-Ukraine policies favored by Trump's predecessor Joe Biden, including supporting Kyiv's membership in NATO and insisting that Russia withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday that the bloc's members are close to agreeing on a new round of sanctions against Russia. Foreign ministers from the EU's 27 member states are meeting in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the bloc's support for Ukraine, among other issues. The European Commission in June proposed the 18th package of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to agree to a ceasefire. The sanctions target Moscow's energy exports as well as its banking sector and military industry. The sanctions proposal includes a price cap on Russian oil of 15% below the average market price, as well as bans on transactions with Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines. "We hope to reach a political agreement on the 18th sanctions package. We are very, very close. I hope it comes today," Kallas said before the meeting. One member state — reported to be Slovakia — has yet to agree to the sanctions package over concerns about the price cap on Russian oil. When asked about the price cap, Kallas said "it's alive." "We have made proposals, but it is a question of whether we can overcome the veto of one member state or not. But we are trying to work on that," the former Estonian prime minister said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is also due to take part in Tuesday's talks. Sybiha plans to join the meeting by video-link. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Lavrov, who visited Russia's ally North Korea last week, is in China to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). "Lavrov conveyed to the Chinese leader a friendly greeting and best wishes from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin," the Russian ministry said in a statement. "The two sides discussed a number of issues concerning bilateral political contacts ... including preparations for the Russian President's upcoming visit to the People's Republic of China." The Russian president is due to travel to China for a SCO leaders' summit in September. Since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and Ukraine's Western allies imposed a range of sanctions against Russia, Moscow has increasingly relied on support from China and North Korea. An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian southwestern regions of Lipetsk and Voronezh has left several people injured and damaged homes and other buildings, Russian authorities said Tuesday. Russia's Defense Ministry said on Telegram that a total of 55 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight over five Russian regions, as well as the Black Sea. Regional governor Governor Alexander Gusev 12 drones were destroyed over the Voronezh border region, where "several people sustained minor injuries due to debris from a downed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles)." Several apartments in residential buildings in Voronezh, which is the administrative center of the region of the same name, were damaged, as were houses in the city's suburbs, Gusev said. In the neighboring Lipetsk region, a drone crashed in an industrial zone in the city of Yelets, regional governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram, adding that one person was injured in the attack. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the Russian reports of the attack, and the full extent of the damage caused was unclear. Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine. After months of trying to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, US President Donald Trump appears to have run out of patience with his Russian counterpart. At a meeting with NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington on Monday, Trump said he was "very unhappy" with Russia and threatened "very severe tariffs" against it and any countries that trade with it. He also said the US would send weapons, including Patriot missiles, to the military alliance to support Ukraine. The missiles and other forms of support for Ukraine will be high on the agenda for European Union foreign ministers who are meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. The ministers are also expected to discuss pending sanctions targeting Russian energy exports. As Ukraine's Western allies continue to try to drum up support for Kyiv, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is continuing his tour of East Asia with a visit to China, one of Russia's most important backers since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Meanwhile, as diplomatic efforts ramp up, the war continues to rage on. Russia said it downed more than 50 Ukrainian drones during an overnight attack. Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on those meetings and other developments in Russia's war in Ukraine.

DW

2 hours ago

DW

Ukraine updates: EU foreign ministersmull Russia sanctions – DW – 07/15/2025

EU foreign ministers were meeting in Brussels to talk Ukraine support and sanctions on Moscow, after Russia's Defense Ministry said it had destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones in an overnight attack. DW has more. Russia's Defense Ministry says its units have destroyed at least 55 drones during a Ukrainian attack on southern and southwestern Russia on Monday night. The drone attack comes after the US signaled that it was ramping up the pressure on the Kremlin, with President Donald Trump announcing tariffs and new weapons for Ukraine. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with China's leader Xi Jinping, while European Union foreign ministers were gathering in Brussels for a summit that will discuss the bloc's support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions on deputy Foreign Minister Artjoms Ursulskis has said Riga is confident any remaining issues blocking the approval of an 18th round of sanctions on Russia will be dealt with. Ursulskis, is attending the Brussels meeting instead of Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, who is visiting the US this week. Slovakia has reportedly been holding up the passage of the European Commission's June proposal amid concerns over sanctions on Russian oil. But Ursulskis said ministers would "iron out" those "small details on economic impacts." He also said the focus on the next round of sanctions should be Russia's so-called shadow fleet. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Moscow has used a number of opaquely owned and often non-insured ships to sell its oil while circumventing Western sanctions imposed in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. "It's not just about sanctioning ships, but companies helping to circumvent sanctions," Ursulskis said, which help "bring in a lot of money for the Russian economy." He said the 18th package of sanctions, once approved, would be "much bigger in its direct impact." "If we shrink Russia's economy, it will be less able to finance war," Ursulskis said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has welcomed Donald Trump's shifting stance towards Russia, saying "there is still a dance for two with the US." On Monday, Trump announced he would be imposing tariffs and sanctions on Russia and its trading partners unless a ceasefire in Ukraine is reached within 50 days. Budrys said the EU needs "to sync with the Americans and their timeline," calling Trump's deadline a "signal for Europe to prepare itself" in case the sanctions and tariffs do take effect. He pointed out that there are still EU member states that rely on oil from Russia. While the ministers are hoping to agree on a proposed 18th round of sanctions against Russia's energy and financial sectors, Budrys said the bloc should already "start preparing a 19th package." Despite the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to change his approach to the war, Budrys insisted that the sanctions "are effective." "Putin has to react when sanctions packages come along," the Lithuanian minister said, adding that "they have secondary effects" and are a factor "Putin listens to." Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, speaking to reporters upon his arrival at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, has said his country is ready to purchase US weapons for Ukraine. His remarks come after US President Donald Trump said Monday that the US would sell weapons, including Patriot missiles, to NATO countries, who would then provide them to Kyiv. "I am proud to say we're the biggest supporter of Ukraine per capita, so of course we're willing to do that," Rasmussen said, adding that "it goes hand in hand with the Danish Model." The Danish Model is a mechanism to provide direct support for Ukraine's defense industry Ukraine says the mechanism will provide a total of €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion) in 2025, some of which will be sourced from profits generated by seized Russian assets. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Denmark has provided approximately €9 billion in military support and around €867 million in civilian contribution, according to Denmark's foreign ministry. Rasmussen clarified that while Denmark does not have any of its own Patriot missiles, his government should "lean into that" and "provide the money" to purchase the highly advanced missile defense systems. "We must work out the details," Rasmussen explained. But, he added, it is "important we have American readiness to deliver these weapons." The Danish minister also said Trump's new messaging on Russia and Ukraine is "very, very important in terms of accepting providing weapons, but also the sanctions scheme." Read more about Patriot missiles and why they are key to helping Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has said he is "not done" with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The remarks, made during an interview with the BBC that was published on Tuesday, came hours after he had said he was "very unhappy" with Russia during a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump, who had previously pledged to end the war in Ukraine in a day, has tried to bring about peace talks and a ceasefire. But his attempts have fallen on deaf ears in Moscow, with Russia escalating its air strikes on Ukraine last week after Trump and Putin had spoken on the phone. During the interview with the BBC, Trump was asked if he was done with the Russian leader. "I'm disappointed in him, but I'm not done with him. But I'm disappointed in him," Trump said. Asked how he would convince Putin to "stop the bloodshed," Trump said "We're working on it." "We'll have a great conversation. I'll say: 'That's good, I'll think we're close to getting it done,' and then he'll knock down a building in Kyiv," the US president said. Amid his growing frustration over the lack of progress with peace talks, Trump on Monday said he was sending new weapons for Ukraine and threatened tariffs and sanctions on Russia and any countries that trade with it unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal within 50 days. The assertive posture is a major policy shift from Trump, who has previously suggested that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war, echoing Russia's narrative. He also tried to walk back pro-Ukraine policies favored by Trump's predecessor Joe Biden, including supporting Kyiv's membership in NATO and insisting that Russia withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday that the bloc's members are close to agreeing on a new round of sanctions against Russia. Foreign ministers from the EU's 27 member states are meeting in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the bloc's support for Ukraine, among other issues. The European Commission in June proposed the 18th package of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to agree to a ceasefire. The sanctions target Moscow's energy exports as well as its banking sector and military industry. The sanctions proposal includes a price cap on Russian oil of 15% below the average market price, as well as bans on transactions with Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines. "We hope to reach a political agreement on the 18th sanctions package. We are very, very close. I hope it comes today," Kallas said before the meeting. One member state — reported to be Slovakia — has yet to agree to the sanctions package over concerns about the price cap on Russian oil. When asked about the price cap, Kallas said "it's alive." "We have made proposals, but it is a question of whether we can overcome the veto of one member state or not. But we are trying to work on that," the former Estonian prime minister said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is also due to take part in Tuesday's talks. Sybiha plans to join the meeting by video-link. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Lavrov, who visited Russia's ally North Korea last week, is in China to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). "Lavrov conveyed to the Chinese leader a friendly greeting and best wishes from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin," the Russian ministry said in a statement. "The two sides discussed a number of issues concerning bilateral political contacts ... including preparations for the Russian President's upcoming visit to the People's Republic of China." The Russian president is due to travel to China for a SCO leaders' summit in September. Since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and Ukraine's Western allies imposed a range of sanctions against Russia, Moscow has increasingly relied on support from China and North Korea. An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian southwestern regions of Lipetsk and Voronezh has left several people injured and damaged homes and other buildings, Russian authorities said Tuesday. Russia's Defense Ministry said on Telegram that a total of 55 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight over five Russian regions, as well as the Black Sea. Regional governor Governor Alexander Gusev 12 drones were destroyed over the Voronezh border region, where "several people sustained minor injuries due to debris from a downed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles)." Several apartments in residential buildings in Voronezh, which is the administrative center of the region of the same name, were damaged, as were houses in the city's suburbs, Gusev said. In the neighboring Lipetsk region, a drone crashed in an industrial zone in the city of Yelets, regional governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram, adding that one person was injured in the attack. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the Russian reports of the attack, and the full extent of the damage caused was unclear. Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine. After months of trying to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, US President Donald Trump appears to have run out of patience with his Russian counterpart. At a meeting with NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington on Monday, Trump said he was "very unhappy" with Russia and threatened "very severe tariffs" against it and any countries that trade with it. He also said the US would send weapons, including Patriot missiles, to the military alliance to support Ukraine. The missiles and other forms of support for Ukraine will be high on the agenda for European Union foreign ministers who are meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. The ministers are also expected to discuss pending sanctions targeting Russian energy exports. As Ukraine's Western allies continue to try to drum up support for Kyiv, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is continuing his tour of East Asia with a visit to China, one of Russia's most important backers since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Meanwhile, as diplomatic efforts ramp up, the war continues to rage on. Russia said it downed more than 50 Ukrainian drones during an overnight attack. Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on those meetings and other developments in Russia's war in Ukraine.

Poland starts spot checks at German border – DW – 07/07/2025

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FACT CHECK: Can you get German citizenship 'at the click of a mouse'?

Ukraine updates: EU foreign ministers mull Russia sanctions – DW – 07/15/2025

Ukraine updates: EU foreign ministersmull Russia sanctions – DW – 07/15/2025

Poland starts spot checks at German border – DW – 07/07/2025

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FACT CHECK: Can you get German citizenship 'at the click of a mouse'?

Ukraine updates: EU foreign ministers mull Russia sanctions – DW – 07/15/2025

Ukraine updates: EU foreign ministersmull Russia sanctions – DW – 07/15/2025

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