Germany meanwhile officially ended decades of nuclear energy use by turning off its last three nuclear reactors on Saturday.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a changing world order are straining ties between France and Germany as they prepare to celebrate 60 years since a post-World War II treaty sealed their reconciliation.

Signs are growing that the crucial partnership between Germany and France is stumbling, experts say, just as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and soaring energy costs place extreme stress on the EU.

Mikhail Gorbachev was mourned in the West on Wednesday as a towering statesman who helped to end the Cold War, but his death received a cool response in Russia, engaged in a war with Ukraine to regain some of the power it lost when he presided over the Soviet Union's collapse.

His death was announced on Tuesday by Russian news agencies, who said Gorbachev had died at a central hospital in Moscow "after a serious and long illness".

Germany's Scholz faces grilling over tax fraud scandal

Le Pen, 53, said she would "never abandon" the French and was already preparing for the June legislative elections.

Germany had deemed it too early for Ukraine to join NATO in 2008 because it found that the political conditions were not met at that point.

Last Thursday, Turkey hosted the first talks between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers since the invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.

Germany's SPD has historically championed close ties with Russia

The wax model of the 95-year-old at a German museum is shown in her signature buttoned-down dress in pink.

Each European country gets a chance at holding the rotating presidency of the Council

In keeping with tradition, his first official trip will take him to France where he will meet President Emmanuel Macron.

Although her name has come up on wish lists for key EU or United Nations posts, Merkel has said she will leave politics altogether.

Germany already announced plans earlier this month to require health workers and soldiers to get inoculated against Covid-19.

Her exit may well open the door for the other half of the European engine -- Macron -- to slide into the driver's seat.

The rising cases of Covid-19 in Europe has led to the reinstatement of restrictions

The sluggish vaccine uptake and rapidly filling intensive care beds have ignited a fierce debate

The regional director for WHO Europe, Hans Kluge, said Europe and Central Asia "face a challenging winter ahead".

Polish media say at least 11 migrants have died since the crisis began in August.

After a strong push in the spring, Germany's inoculation rate had stagnated over the summer

Long hours, low pay and stress during the coronavirus crisis have only served to put even more people off a job in the healthcare sector.

Belarusian foreign ministry spokesman Anataoly Glaz accused Poland of exacerbating the problem.

Germany and Israel forged strong diplomatic ties in the decades after World War II, with Berlin committed to the preservation of the Jewish state.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had little impact on the nominations submitted to the Nobel committee in Oslo this year

The collapse in Afghanistan and the submarine fallout have given fresh impetus to those pushing for the EU to develop a separate military capability, with France leading the charge.

The channel has been banned in several countries, including the ex-Soviet republics of Lithuania and Latvia.

Europe's biggest economy could be headed for weeks, if not months, of political uncertainty

Going into the summer, the conservatives were enjoying a comfortable lead against the SPD.

Germany's "Querdenker" (Lateral Thinkers) movement has emerged as the loudest voice against the government's coronavirus curbs.