This chapter focuses on recent developments since the 2009 Russian-Ukrainian gas crisis, including the controversies surrounding the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and the consequences for Russian-European energy relations following Russia’s war against Ukraine.

This chapter deals with Germany’s position on State jurisdiction and immunities. The first part, Jurisdiction of the State, addresses Germany releasing an Iranian citizen in a prisoner swap, as well as Germany considering further US sanctions on Nord Stream 2, a pipeline project delivering gas from Russia to Germany, an encroachment on its sovereignty as it understands them to be extraterritorial in nature. The second part, State immunity, deals with the Federal Constitutional Court classifying Greek debt restructuring measures as acta iure imperii. While the chapter agrees with the decision, it criticizes the Federal Constitutional Court for missing the opportunity to advance the discussion of a contentious matter of public international law. Another article assesses Germany’s (non)participation in US court proceedings for alleged colonial genocide and enslavement of the Ovaherero and Nama in what was formerly known as South West Africa and is now Namibia. The chapter argues that Germany is not answerable and that Namibia’s position in its negotiations with the German government over a political declaration concerning atrocities committed during colonial rule was weakened.

This chapter deals with Germany’s position on State jurisdiction and immunities. It is structured in two parts: jurisdiction of the State and State immunity. In the first part, Germany’s portrayal of US sanctions against a Russian company as extraterritorial and illegal under international law is examined. It is argued that the USA has a clear jurisdictional basis for sanctions legislation in the territoriality principle and the active personality principle, and is thereby not infringing German sovereignty. In addition to this, Germany’s claim that US sanctions against Nord Steam 2 are contrary to international law is investigated in the first part. Again, it will be put forward that US sanctions are based on the principles of territoriality and active personality having only extraterritorial effects.