Germany has begun financing the production of Ukrainian long-range drones, the first concrete result of a memorandum signed during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Berlin in May.
This information was reported by Die Welt, while the German government does not disclose details of military aid to Ukraine for security reasons. The move strengthens German-Ukrainian cooperation in the defence industry and aims to boost Ukraine's military capabilities in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The memorandum, concluded between Berlin and Kiev in May 2025, aims to support the development and production of Ukrainian long-range weapon systems. According to the German news server Tagesschau, Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his meeting with Zelensky, he stressed that the goal is to finance existing Ukrainian projects so that Ukraine can more effectively counter Russian aggression.
A key element of the agreement is the absence of range limitations on these weapons, which allows Ukraine to attack targets on Russian territory. This approach has drawn criticism from Russia, which, according to Reuters reports, has described the agreement as an "escalatory step" and warned against further deepening the conflict.
The first contract under the memorandum includes financing the production of 500 Antonov-196 drones with a range of up to 1,200 kilometres and a payload capacity of 50 kilograms of explosives. These drones, Deutsche Welle reports, are designed to attack strategic targets such as ammunition depots or logistics centres with low air defence. This type of drone strengthens Ukraine's ability to carry out precision strikes over long distances.
The German support comes at a time when Russia, according to Ukrainian sources quoted by the Kyiv Independent, is attacking Ukrainian infrastructure daily with drones and missiles. President Zelensky has repeatedly called on allies for more support, stressing the need for technological and financial assistance. Germany, which has long hesitated to supply long-range weapons such as Taurus missiles, is now changing its approach under Chancellor Merz.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov according to Reuters, described the lifting of the arms range limitations as "dangerous" and warned that such steps complicate the possibility of a diplomatic solution. On the other hand, the Ukrainian foreign minister Andriy Sybiha during the visit of his German colleague Johann Wadephul to Kiev, Ukrinform reported, stressed that this cooperation strengthens not only Ukraine but also European security.
The drone funding is part of a broader German strategy to support Ukraine. In addition to drones, the memorandum deals with the production of cruise missiles and potentially the modernisation of Taurus missiles, as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung suggests.
Germany will also provide a military aid package worth €5 billion, including various forms of support. Three German defence companies are already operating in Ukraine, which Tagesschau said signals deepening industrial cooperation. Other countries, such as the UK and the US, have also lifted restrictions on the range of their weapons, increasing Ukraine's strategic flexibility.
According to The Guardian, Britain plans to supply 100,000 drones to Ukraine, ten times last year's amount.
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