German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discusses his meeting with President Donald Trump and why he asked to increase the pressure on Russia to end its war against Ukraine.

The European Union is considering adding Russia to its 'grey' list of countries with lax money laundering controls, the Financial Times reported on Friday citing officials.

The German chancellor had come to Washington hoping to persuade President Trump to play a more active role in defending Ukraine.

Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has told Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky that Berlin will help Kyiv produce long-range weapons to defend itself from Russian attack. "We want to talk about production and we will not publicly discuss details," he said, when asked by reporters in Berlin if Germany would supply Kyiv with its Taurus missiles.

President Trump was asked again on Thursday when he would make a decision regarding sanctions on Russia, which he's threatened repeatedly over the past several weeks.

Russian flag carrier Aeroflot expects to sign settlement deals with Western insurers and leasing firms on the last 36 planes from a total of 228 aircraft it agreed to buy, Aeroflot head Sergei Aleksandrovski told Russian newspaper Kommersant.