Ukraine-Ukraine/Germany Security: Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv as Russia intensified drone strikes, urging Putin to stop “senseless” attacks and saying Germany will not be intimidated. Defense Deals: Germany and Ukraine signed 15 agreements worth over €8.5bn on air defense, interceptor drones, radars, artillery, UGVs and energy resilience, with Merz also announcing an extra €1.3bn-plus support package. Intelligence Warning: Germany’s BND chief Martin Jäger warned the risk of Germany being drawn into a violent conflict with Russia has grown, describing a widening “shadow war” and sabotage threat. Sanctions Probe: Berlin prosecutors are investigating possible EU sanctions violations linked to tenants of the Russian House cultural center in Berlin. Nobel Science: The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to US scientist Karl Deisseroth and Germans Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for optogenetics, a “light switch” for controlling nerve cells. Euro Markets: The euro slid to a near 18-month low as investors fretted over European fiscal and political risks, especially France and Spain. Sports: Novak Djokovic beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev at the China Open to reach the semifinals.