Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Berlin Wednesday to talk defense against Russia with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Photo by Clemens Bilan/EPA-EFE
Germany announced Wednesday it will strengthen its military relationship with Ukraine with the purchase of long-range missiles produced by Ukraine.
“Ukrainians are defending their lives, their land, and their freedom,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Wednesday at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. “At great sacrifice, they are also defending Europe’s security against Russian militant revisionism. We will continue our military support for Ukraine. And we will expand it.”
Zelensky posted to social media Wednesday that “Ukraine and Germany have reached new agreements on joint defense production projects.”
“There will be investment in weapons manufacturing in Ukraine, particularly in drone production, which is crucial for saving the lives of our soldiers,” he said.
Merz also announced that Germany intends to jointly procure long-range weapons systems made in Ukraine,” without range restrictions which gives Ukraine the green light to fire such long-range weaponry across the Ukrainian border into Russia, which continues its war of aggression against Ukraine.
Additionally, the German Defense Ministry revealed a military aid package for Ukraine Wednesday worth nearly $5.7 billion that will finance long-range weapons to be produced in Ukraine that are already being used by the Ukrainian military and can be deployed within weeks.
The financial investment by Germany takes place as speculation continues in regard to whether Germany will supply Ukraine with its Taurus cruise missiles, which can strike targets as far away as 300 miles. Merz had signaled before his ascension to chancellor that he would overturn a previous ban by his predecessor Olaf Scholz on the provision of such weaponry to Ukraine.
The decision to provide the Taurus missiles remains officially unresolved as it has been a matter of contention between the conservative alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union parties, and the Social Democratic Party, their coalition partners.
Germany has previously provided Ukraine with two weapons systems capable of strikes within Russian borders, the Mars II rocket launchers and Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery, and range restrictions on their usage were lifted in May 2024.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced Monday that European countries who lift restrictions on the range of provided armaments for use against Russia on Russian territory would be making a “rather dangerous decision.”
