Germany agrees €5bn in aid to Ukraine and joint production of long-range weapons
BERLIN — Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Berlin would seek to help Kyiv jointly develop new long-range weapons that can strike deeper inside Russia as Germany agreed on a new €5 billion aid package.
Heralding the beginning of a "new form of military industrial cooperation between our two countries," Merz said that Germany and Ukraine would seek to "enable joint production" of weapons.
"This will be a cooperation on an industrial level, which can take place both in Ukraine and here in Germany," Merz said.
Following Merz's statement, the defense ministers of Ukraine and Germany signed a memorandum which also includes direct German investment in Ukraine's defense industry and a broader agreement between Ukraine and German arms manufacturers.
"This is the beginning of a new form of military-industrial cooperation between our countries, which has significant potential," Merz said at a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin.
The German Defense Ministry said a "significant" number of these systems are expected to be manufactured by the end of 2025, with the first batch ready for deployment in the coming weeks.Berlin also reiterated its commitment to supply Ukraine with more weapons and ammunition, including air defense and artillery.Merz declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine, long a request by Kyiv and a step that Berlin has so far resisted.Merz only said that he is not willing to comment on the issue and the sides "want to talk about production and we will not publicly discuss details."Visiting Kyiv at the beginning of May, Merz said that all future arms supply talks with Ukraine would be kept confidential.On Monday, Merz said that Ukraine's western allies are no longer imposing restrictions on the use of long-range weapons for Kyiv to use against Russian military targets.Later, he sought to temper those comments by elaborating that the decision to lift restrictions had been made "months ago.""In this respect, yesterday in Berlin, I described something that has been happening for months: namely, that Ukraine has the right to use the weapons it receives, even beyond its own borders, against military targets on Russian territory," Merz clarified.Taurus missiles are similar in range and payload to the Scalp/Storm Shadow missiles which are supplied to Ukraine by France and the UK.But the Taurus differs in that it can penetrate reinforced concrete walls and can be programmed to explode after hitting a target, which is why they are used against what the German Air Force refers to as "high-value targets." — Euronews
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Saudi Gazette
Ukrainian F-16 shot down in Russian strike; pilot killed after downing seven targets
CHERKASY, Ukraine — Ukraine's Air Force confirmed Sunday that an F-16 fighter jet was shot down in a Russian overnight airstrike in the central Cherkasy region, killing the pilot and injuring six civilians. The pilot was hailed for his efforts in diverting the aircraft from populated areas and downing seven Russian aerial targets before the crash. According to the Air Force statement, the pilot was engaging waves of incoming Russian drones and missiles when his aircraft sustained critical damage. He continued fighting and attempted to steer the plane away from residential zones, but was ultimately unable to eject in time. 'The pilot used the full arsenal of onboard weapons and shot down seven air targets,' the statement said. 'He died heroically in the line of duty.' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid tribute to the pilot on X, calling for a full investigation into the circumstances of his death. He also reiterated urgent appeals for enhanced air defense capabilities to counter the scale of Russian bombardments. 'Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense — the thing that best protects lives,' Zelenskyy said. 'We are ready to purchase American systems and count on the leadership and political will of the United States, Europe, and all our partners.' The overnight Russian assault involved 477 drones and 60 missiles, of which Ukraine claims to have intercepted 211 drones and 38 missiles. Cherkasy Governor Ihor Taburets said the airstrike also injured six people in the city of Smila, where three nine-story buildings and a college were damaged. Emergency teams have set up a crisis response center and are assessing the full extent of the damage. Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and oil refineries, declaring the attack 'successful' with all intended sites 'hit.' The loss of the F-16 marks a significant moment for Ukraine, which has only recently begun integrating the advanced U.S.-made jets into its defense arsenal amid hopes of shifting momentum in the ongoing war. — Agencies
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Germany seeks Israeli partnership on cyberdefense, plans ‘cyber dome'
Germany is aiming to establish a joint German-Israeli cyber research center and deepen collaboration between the two countries' intelligence and security agencies, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Sunday. Germany is among Israel's closest allies in Europe, and Berlin has increasingly looked to draw upon Israel's defense expertise as it boosts its military capabilities and contributions to NATO in the face of perceived growing threats from Russia and China. 'Military defense alone is not sufficient for this turning point in security. A significant upgrade in civil defense is also essential to strengthen our overall defensive capabilities,' Dobrindt said during a visit to Israel, as reported by Germany's Bild newspaper. Dobrindt, who was appointed by new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month, arrived in Israel on Saturday. According to the Bild report, Dobrindt outlined a five-point plan aimed at establishing what he called a 'Cyber Dome' for Germany, as part of its cyberdefense strategy. Earlier on Sunday, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder called for the acquisition of 2,000 interceptor missiles to equip Germany with an 'Iron Dome' system similar to Israel's short-range missile defense technology.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Germany seeks Israeli partnership on cyberdefense, plans ‘cyber dome'
BERLIN: Germany is aiming to establish a joint German-Israeli cyber research center and deepen collaboration between the two countries' intelligence and security agencies, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Sunday. Germany is among Israel's closest allies in Europe, and Berlin has increasingly looked to draw upon Israel's defense expertise as it boosts its military capabilities and contributions to NATO in the face of perceived growing threats from Russia and China. 'Military defense alone is not sufficient for this turning point in security. A significant upgrade in civil defense is also essential to strengthen our overall defensive capabilities,' Dobrindt said during a visit to Israel, as reported by Germany's Bild newspaper. Dobrindt, who was appointed by new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month, arrived in Israel on Saturday. According to the Bild report, Dobrindt outlined a five-point plan aimed at establishing what he called a 'Cyber Dome' for Germany, as part of its cyberdefense strategy. Earlier on Sunday, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder called for the acquisition of 2,000 interceptor missiles to equip Germany with an 'Iron Dome' system similar to Israel's short-range missile defense technology.
