German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Germany would finance the production of Ukrainian long-range missiles.
According to Merz, quoted by Deutsche Welle, there will be no restrictions on the use of such Ukrainian-made weapons. The relevant memorandum is to be signed soon by the defence ministers of the two countries. Further details will not be disclosed, Merz stressed. Merz did not answer the question about the possible delivery of long-range Taurus missiles.
Earlier, Bild reported that Germany was considering financing the development of Ukraine’s own cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometres. At the same time, as the publication emphasised, there is no talk of supplying Ukraine with Taurus even under the new government, it is ‘still a taboo’.
With the U.S., Ukraine’s largest donor, showing less and less involvement, Germany, Ukraine’s second-largest partner, is playing an increasingly important role in providing arms and ammunition to Kiev. The EU is increasing pressure on Moscow to negotiate, while former US President Donald Trump said that ‘Putin is playing with fire’.
