Angela Merkel

Germany on Nov. 30 welcomed the return to port of Turkish research vessel Oruç Reis after completing its energy exploration mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Speaking at a virtual conference on Germany's EU presidency, Merkel said relations with Turkey, and recent tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, would be among the major topics of the EU leaders summit on Dec. 10-11.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted on Monday the lack of significant progress in the issues that affect relations between the European Union and Turkey, in view of the European Union leaders' summit in December.

"We have not made as much progress on the EU-Turkey relationship as we wanted," she told a virtual gathering of members of parliaments' European affairs committees.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban had a video conference talk with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, during which he underlined Romania's major interest in deepening Romanian-German cooperation, especially on the economic dimension, informs a Government press release.

Germany prolongs the coronavirus-linked restrictions until December 20, while the limitations of social contacts are likely to be in place until January, Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference after the meeting with minister-presidents of federal states.

Greece, Italy, Spain and Malta, which have borne the brunt of the European Union's migration crisis, have sent a joint memorandum outlining their positions regarding the bloc's new Pact on Migration and Asylum to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The prime ministers of the four European Union countries on the frontline of the migration crisis, namely Greece, Italy, Spain and Malta, on Wednesday sent a joint memorandum outlining their positions on the bloc's new Pact on Migration and Asylum to the German chair of the European Council, Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von de

Leaders of Germany's 16 federal states plan to allow gatherings of up to 10 people over Christmas and New Year, offering some relaxation of coronavirus restrictions to let families and friends celebrate together.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by telephone to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about their dispute over energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, a German government spokesman said on Thursday.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of Friday's emergency meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, according to reports.

According to the same reports, Mitsotakis briefed Merkel on Turkey's illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.

A German neo-Nazi stands trial Tuesday on charges of murdering pro-refugee politician Walter Luebcke, in a case that shocked the country and highlighted the growing threat of right-wing extremism.