Germany news: Ukraine in focus at Berlin Security Conference

Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

• The 25th Berlin Security Conference is kicking off in the German capital, with Lithuania as this year's partner country
• The conference will focus on the war in Ukraine and ways to counter growing Russian aggression against European countries
• Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig has presented a bill that broadens the definition of sexual harassment and envisages higher penalties for sexual offenses  
• Conservative Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has called for a European-Arab free trade area during a trip to the United Arab Emirates
• Another child has been reported injured by a sharp object hidden in Halloween candy 

This is a roundup of some of the top stories from and about Germany on November 3, 2026:

Skip next section Berlin Security Conference kicks off

November 3, 2026

Berlin Security Conference kicks off

The two-day Berlin Security Conference is kicking off in the German capital for the 25th time on Tuesday.

This year, the focus will be on what many see as the biggest challenge toRussia's war in Ukraine European peace for decades: the threat of Russian aggression as reflected in its invasion of Ukraine and hybrid attacks on other European countries.

The conference's partner country this year is Lithuania, a country that shares an uncomfortable border with Russia and fears greatly for its own security.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is to open the event and later to meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with not just security issues but also Lithuania's upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union on the agenda.

The program for the conference also includes a speech by a still unnamed "special guest" to be held mid-morning.

The conference has been taking place annually since 2001.

Edited by:Elizabeth Schumacher

https://p.dw.com/p/5Oyrn

Skip next section Welcome to our coverage

November 3, 2026

Welcome to our coverage

Guten Tag from DW's newsroom on the banks of the still-languishing Rhine River in Bonn!

Today, we will be looking at what comes out of this year's Berlin Security Conference, where European lawmakers, military figures and security authorities will discuss the threat emanating from Russia as it continues its invasion of Ukraine.

We will also focus on a bill envisaging a wider definition of what constitutes a sexual offense and harsher penalties for those guilty of perpetrating them.

And there has been another report of a child's being injured from eating Halloween candy.

You can read about these stories and more in our updates from the heart of Europe.