#arms-exports

#arms-exports

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz embarked on a three-day trip to the Gulf region on Wednesday, where he is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The trip comes on the back of visits to Africa and Latin America at the end of last year and after a trip to India in January (see video), as Merz looks to strengthen Germany's partnerships with counties outside the European Union and NATO.

"When Friedrich Merz voices this criticism of Israel, we listen very carefully because he is a friend," the diplomat told German public broadcaster ZDF.

Ukraine is taking steps to begin exporting some of its weapons, such as the naval drones it has used to pummel Russia's navy in the Black Sea. At first glance, permitting companies to export weaponry abroad when the country is at war and its growing domestic defense industry has been critical to keeping Ukraine in the fight seems deeply counterintuitive. Ukraine, both its political and industrial leadership, has been thinking carefully about this, though.

No evidence has been seen that a genocide is occurring in Gaza or that women and children were targeted by the IDF, as UK government lawyers claimed during a high court case.