Berlin – Germany’s newly minted chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has pledged to help Ukraine manufacture long-range missiles, marking a sharp shift in Berlin’s approach to the war with Russia.
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Merz confirmed that talks were under way to support missile production on Ukrainian soil. He declined to name specific weapons, but hinted at a formal agreement in the works.
“We want to talk about production and we will not publicly discuss details,” Merz told reporters. “But our defence ministers will sign a memorandum of understanding today.”
Merz’s remarks follow days of speculation about whether Germany would supply Taurus cruise missiles, which have a range of 500 kilometres far enough to strike deep into Russian-held territory. While the chancellor stopped short of confirming that Taurus would be part of the deal, his tone left little doubt that Germany is prepared to go further than it has before.
No More Limits
In a striking departure from his predecessor Olaf Scholz’s cautious stance, Merz declared earlier this week that there were “no longer” any Western-imposed restrictions on the range of weapons Ukraine could use.
That statement quickly drew a response from the Kremlin.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, warned that such a move would represent “a dangerous escalation” and harm any chance of a political settlement.
Still, Merz stood firm, saying the shift in policy had been quietly agreed among Western allies months ago. The goal, he insisted, was to give Ukraine the tools to defend itself not provoke Moscow.
“We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Merz said. “Russia’s refusal to engage in peace talks will have real consequences.”
A Risky Gamble
Zelensky, who has long pushed for more advanced weaponry, welcomed the pledge. He said the offer sends a clear message to Moscow that its invasion will not be rewarded with hesitation.
He also renewed his call for high-level negotiations, suggesting a direct meeting between himself, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump “Trump, Putin, me,” he quipped though he added he was open to other formats.
Peskov, responding to the proposal, didn’t dismiss it entirely. But he said such a meeting could only happen after “concrete agreements” were made by lower-level delegates.
So far, the most tangible outcome of renewed diplomacy has been a prisoner swap, following low-level talks in Istanbul earlier this month the first face-to-face contact between the two sides in over three years.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hinted that more negotiations could follow soon. But he stressed that any deal must guarantee Ukraine’s “neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status,” a long-standing Russian demand.
Pressure Mounts in Washington
Meanwhile, the mood in Washington is growing tense. President Trump this week accused Putin of “playing with fire” after a missile strike killed 13 Ukrainian civilians, including children. The White House signalled that sanctions against Russia’s energy and banking sectors were being considered if there was no progress toward peace.
Zelensky said he had spoken to Trump about the sanctions and received assurances that the U.S. was prepared to act.
But as the diplomatic dance continues, the war rages on.
Ukraine launched what it described as one of its largest drone attacks on Russian targets overnight. At the same time, Zelensky said Russia had unleashed more than 900 drones over a three-day stretch, testing Ukraine’s air defences.
Fighting has intensified in the northeast, where Moscow is pushing across the Sumy border region. Ukrainian officials report that Russian forces have seized at least four villages. Local governor Oleh Hryhorov confirmed ongoing clashes near several settlements.
“Russia is amassing over 50,000 troops in the area,” Zelensky warned, calling it a fresh bid by Moscow to create so-called “security buffer zones” along the frontier.
The War Grinds On
Now in its fourth year, the war has cost tens of thousands of lives and devastated much of Ukraine’s east and south. Russia continues to occupy around 20 percent of the country, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
As battle lines shift and alliances harden, Germany’s new chancellor appears ready to take a far more assertive role in shaping the next phase of the conflict.
Whether that leads to peace or further escalation remains uncertain. But for the first time in years, Berlin is no longer sitting on the fence.
