Merz says Germany will increase its support to Ukraine after meeting with Zelenskyy in Berlin

(28 May 2025)
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Berlin - 28 May
1. Wide of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor, arriving
2. SOUNDBITE (German) Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor:
“We will continue our military support and even increase it, so that Ukraine can continue to defend itself against this Russian aggression – now and in the future. And I want to stress something new in this context. We are financing a considerable part of the Starlink coverage of the country. And our defense ministers are going to sign a memorandum of understanding on the procurement of long range weapon systems produced by Ukraine – so-called long range fires. There will be no range limits on these. Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself including against military targets outside its own territory.”
3. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine:
"I am glad that today there are new agreements between our states on joint projects. We will not publicly discuss all the details, but today we have agreements on investment in production in Ukraine and first of all, these are weapons. This is the production of drones, that will enable us most effectively to protect the lives of our soldiers."
4. Wide of Zelenskyy and Merz leaving
STORYLINE:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Wednesday as Ukraine seeks further military support amid a recent escalation in Russia's bombing campaign, despite U.S.-led efforts to end the war.

Zelenskyy called for deeper defense cooperation across Europe and with the United States, stressing the need for long-range capabilities and sustained military funding to ensure Ukraine’s resilience.

Germany has been the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States.

Merz has plunged into diplomatic efforts to try to secure a ceasefire and keep Western support for Ukraine intact since becoming Germany’s leader three weeks ago.

“We will continue to increase the pressure on Russia. We are doing this in order to weaken the war machine of Moscow. But we are doing it also to open to path to negotiations," Merz said, speaking in Berlin.

European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in U.S.-led peace talks.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was set to meet in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Ukraine is ready to hold peace talks at the highest level, including a trilateral meeting with himself, Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Zelenskyy said he would accept any configuration of talks, whether that includes one trilateral meeting or separate meetings with Trump.

Merz said on Monday that Germany and other major allies are no longer imposing any range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine as it fights to repel Russia's full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.

Merz’s government hasn't said whether it will supply its Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, something his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, refused to do and which Merz advocated for as opposition leader.

The government has said it would no longer provide full details of the weapons it's supplying to Ukraine, unlike Scholz’s administration, citing the need for “strategic ambiguity.”
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