Putin's Suspected Coastal Mansion The Man Who Built the Billion Dollar Palace Lanfranco Cirillo designed the ostentatious palace that Alexei Navalny claims belongs to Russia’s president. "We used fantastic materials, I was proud of my work," the architect says when contacted by DER SPIEGEL. By Christian Esch in Moscow
Foreign Policy Impotence Brussels Pushes Firmer Stance after Embarrassment in Moscow After the recent humiliation of its top diplomat by Russian officials, the European Union may now be heading toward stronger measures against Moscow. Tempers are running high in Brussels, though the bloc doesn't exactly have a strong history of common foreign policy. By Markus Becker und Christoph Schult
A Price Too High Russian Pipeline Is Germany's Greatest Foreign Policy Embarrassment A DER SPIEGEL Editorial by Mathieu von Rohr Berlin is insisting on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany. By doing so, the country is isolating itself in Europe and alienating the United States. The political costs will be too great if the project is completed. It should now be scrapped.
The EU Relationship with Russia European Unity and Determination Offer a Path Forward A Guest Editorial by Michael Roth (SPD), State Minister in the German Foreign Ministry Continuing to focus on dialogue with Moscow does not meet coddling President Vladimir Putin or ignoring Russian transgressions. Europe needs to present a united and determined front in its relationship with Russia.
German-Russian Relations at a New Low "The Kremlin Will from Now on View Germany as Being Controlled By the U.S." German relations with Russia have soured following the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the brazen assassination of a Chechen asylum-seeker in Berlin. At times, Moscow has been baffled by Germany's stances. By Christian Esch in Moscow
Through the Fog Nagorno-Karabakh Settles in for Five Years of Uncertainty Russian troops have arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh to keep the peace, but thousands of Armenians are having to flee the region. They are leaving nothing to the arriving Azerbaijanis – and it is unclear when normalcy might return. By Christian Esch
Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Thanks Germany and Describes His Poisoning with Novichok Speaking to DER SPIEGEL in his first interview with the media following his poisoning, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny expresses his "tremendous gratitude to all Germans."
Navalny Poisoning Germany Debates Halting Contentious Russian Pipeline Project Leading politicians in Germany from all mainstream parties are demanding that construction on the natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 be suspended as a result of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny. But Merkel's government is so far resisting such calls.
The Russian Patient Belarus, the Kremlin and the Attack on Alexei Navalny Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's condition is apparently improving as he receives treatment in Berlin. But was he really poisoned at the behest of the Kremlin? There is plenty to indicate that he was.
Berlin Peace Summit Can Diplomacy Stop the War in Libya? In the conflict over Libya, a North African country of considerable strategic importance for Europe, three countries have been setting the agenda betting on a military solution: Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Does diplomacy still have a chance?
Honest Broker How the Libya Summit in Berlin Took Shape The path to this Sunday's peace conference on Libya in Berlin was anything but certain. First, officials in the German government had to convince all the parties in the conflict to attend.
Putin's Killers in Europe How Russian Agents Hunt Down Kremlin Opponents A secret Russian death squad appears to be killing Moscow's enemies in the West in an effort to destabilize Europe. Perpetrators with connections to the Russian government appear to be responsible for the slaying of a Georgian national in Berlin. By DER SPIEGEL Staff
The Bridge to Nowhere A Trip to the Pro-Russian Pseudo-State of Luhansk The war is essentially over in eastern Ukraine, but peace hasn't yet begun. A visit to the self-proclaimed mini-state known as the People's Republic of Luhansk shows that the road back to normality is long and full of obstacles. Von Christian Esch
Ukrainian Director Oleg Sentsov on Being a Political Prisoner in Russia 'They Try to Get Under Your Skin' Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov spent five years as a political prisoner in Russia. In an interview, he speaks with DER SPIEGEL about the interrogation techniques used by the Russian secret service and the glass jar that gave him hope. Von Christian Esch
Murder in Berlin Evidence Mounts of Russian State Involvement The murder of a Georgian man in Berlin is attracting international attention. DER SPIEGEL and its reporting partners have new information indicating that the crime could in fact have been commissioned by the Russian state.
Merkel's Summer Reading 'We're Fascinated By the Tyrant' Angela Merkel was recently spotted on vacation reading "Tyrant" by Stephen Greenblatt. Was the German chancellor sending a hidden message by reading the book, which has been widely interpreted as being critical of Donald Trump? We asked the author. Von Susanne Beyer
Escalating Tension Russia Tries to Strangle Ukraine with New Maritime Strategy Russia is adopting a new tactic in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine by cutting off the latter's access to its important ports in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has tried to use the situation to his own advantage -- without much success. Von Christian Esch
Moscow Meddling The Forgotten War in Eastern Ukraine Russia is making little effort to disguise its leadership role in the self-proclaimed people's republics in eastern Ukraine. Putin needs the regions to blackmail Kiev. Von Christian Neef
Hot Heads Erdogan-Trump Tiff Endangers Turkish Economy and NATO The Turkish economy is collapsing and President Erdogan is engaged in a bitter battle with U.S. President Donald Trump. NATO could turn out to be the loser, while Moscow is the primary beneficiary. Von Tim Bartz, Maximilian Popp und Christian Reiermann
Interview with Mikhail Khodorkovsky 'I Believe Putin Is Capable of Change' In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, former Russian oligarch and regime critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky talks about the importance of the World Cup for Moscow's reputation and of a possible end to the Putin era. Von Christian Esch und Britta Sandberg