German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised a tentative deal between Serbia and the European Union signed on Friday that paves the way for the disputed excavation of lithium, a mega project that could reduce Europe's dependency on China but one that has been fiercely criticized by environmentalists and opposition groups.

Belgrade and the European Union signed a deal on Friday to give the EU access to raw materials mined in Serbia and strengthen their ties on production of sustainable raw materials, battery manufacturing and electric vehicles (EVs).

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised a tentative deal between Serbia and the European Union signed on Friday that paves the way for the disputed excavation of lithium, a huge project that could reduce Europe’s dependency on China but one that has been fiercely criticised by environmentalists.

Germany plans to halve its military aid to Ukraine next year, despite concerns that U.S. support for Kyiv could potentially diminish if Republican candidate Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Germany is planning to nearly halve military aid for Ukraine next year, from around €8bn (£6.7bn; $8.7bn) to around €4bn, according to a draft budget approved by the government.

Germany's draft budget for 2025 would cut military aid to Ukraine by half. The optics are terrible, an expert told BI, and a gift to Trump.