Germany has stopped processing some applications for asylum by Syrian refugees, pending a new assessment of the security situation in the war-torn country, according to a report on Saturday.

Greece's parliament on Wednesday began debate on a resolution to demand the payment of German war crime reparations, an issue long disputed by Berlin.

"These demands are always active. They were never set aside by Greece," parliament chairman Nikos Voutsis told reporters this week.

The German government has extended a ban on arms exports to Saudi Arabia by six months until the end of September, but is making a conditional exception for systems developed jointly with other countries.

Germany imposed the ban following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul last year. Britain and France have criticized Germany's stance, saying the ban prevented them selling jointly developed equipment with German components to the Gulf nation.

U.S. and Israeli leaders gathered Wednesday in Warsaw for a conference they hope will pile pressure on Iran, as Britain held out hope for progress on Yemen's humanitarian crisis.

There is still time to find a solution to Britain's exit from the EU, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday, voicing optimism on a political deal over the tricky "backstop" that has stymied progress.

Germany said Friday that Russia had "de facto invalidated" a landmark Cold War missile reduction treaty which the US is poised to abandon, with Europe anxious at the prospect of a new arms race.

A US deadline for Russia to come back into compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty expires on Saturday but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will reportedly announce the pullout as early as Friday.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled at eight German airports Tuesday, including at the nation's busiest travel hub Frankfurt, as security staff walked off the job in a deepening row over pay.

Germany "takes total responsibility for crimes committed" by the Nazis in Greece, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday on a visit to Athens.

Almost 640 flights were cancelled in Germany Thursday as security staff went on strike at three airports, meaning disruption for around 100,000 passengers.

Germany was plunged into transport chaos Monday as train services were halted by a railworkers' strike over pay, affecting millions of passengers.