Latest news with #German-Ukrainian
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Germany vows to underwrite Ukraine's long-range missile production
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his country would pay for Ukraine to build long-range missiles at home, days after the leader announced a lift on range restrictions on Kyiv's Western-supplied weapons. The remarks came during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's short-notice visit to Berlin on Wednesday. During a press conference, the leaders also announced the start of intergovernmental German-Ukrainian consultations later this year, as well as deeper defense industry ties. A memorandum of understanding between the countries, signed by the two defense ministers, governs the cooperation details. Investing in Ukraine will enable Kyiv to have a 'substantial' number of long-range weapons this year, the German defense ministry said in a statement, with the first deliveries set to take place in just a few weeks' time. These declarations come after Merz announced on Monday that Western backers would no longer attach range limitations to their weapons donations, though it was unclear which systems he was referring to other than Germany's own. Known suppliers of such arms also include the U.K., France and the United States. Russia lashed out following the announcement, calling it a 'dangerous' decision. Speaking alongside Zelenskyy on Wednesday, Merz hailed 'the beginning of a new form of military-industrial cooperation between our countries, which has very great potential.' Germany's defense ministry said the latest aid package was worth around €5 billion ($5.65 billion) and was concluded 'in light of the current, most severe Russian aerial attacks since the beginning of the offensive war against Ukraine.' In addition to the investment in Ukrainian arms manufacturing, Germany will deliver more air defense systems and replenish Kyiv's stocks of munitions, according to a government statement. Germany will also provide financial support for battlefield maintenance conducted in Ukraine, as well as the country's military and satellite communications infrastructure. Absent from the press conference was any mention of Germany's own Taurus long-range cruise missile, considered one of the most advanced globally. For well over a year, there have been heated debates in Berlin about whether to deliver the weapons for Kyiv to use in the country's defense. The previous government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz had opted against such a move out of fear that German officials would have to remain involved in firing it, thereby drawing Berlin directly into the war. Despite the reticence, Germany has been a key backer of Ukraine in its defense against Russia's invasion, which commenced in earnest in February 2022. It is second only to the United States in the quantity of military aid it has delivered. 'We will continue our military support, and we will expand it,' said Merz after meeting with his Ukrainian colleague. Details are likely to remain scant. The new German government has thrown to the wind the transparency fostered by the Scholz administration and said it will no longer share which weapons it sends to Ukraine. A website tallying German weapons deliveries has since been archived, and the chancellor said during the press conference that he would not provide any further specific details about military assistance and cooperation.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Germany to hold joint consultations with Ukraine, Merz announces
German ministers are set to hold joint consultations with the Ukrainian government this year, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Berlin after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Merz said Germany and Ukraine have grown closer since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. German and Ukrainian officials have been working together closely, too, he added. "We want to expand this further and, towards the end of the year, we will have German-Ukrainian government consultations again for the first time in many years," said Merz. Joint consultations are official meetings between governments, attended by countries' leaders and ministers. Germany last held inter-governmental consultations with India in October.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Berlin to bid for Olympics with other four states
Burkhard Jung (L), Lord Mayor of the City of Leipzig, speaks at the German-Ukrainian municipal partnership conference in Leipzig alongside Vitali Klitschko, Lord Mayor of the City of Kiev. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa Berlin plans to bid to host the Olympics in Germany together with the states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. According to dpa information, the bid will be presented on May 27 at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Advertisement It's unclear, however, for which year the project, entitled "Berlin plus," would bid for. Previously, Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung had confirmed the plans to present the bid next Tuesday and spoke of the 2040 edition. He shared the information said during a debate in the city council, according to Friday's edition of the Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper. The discussion focused on the Red Bull arena's forecourt and the framework plan for the area around the stadium. Leipzig is located in Saxony. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is also to present its plans for an Olympic bid next week. Advertisement Applicants must first submit their concepts to the German Olympic body DOSB by the end of May as part of a three-stage model. These will be checked for compliance with the minimum requirements and the corresponding plausibility by the end of September 2025. All concepts that pass this review will be presented at the DOSB general assembly at the end of this year. However, a final decision is to be made by fall 2026. Germany last hosted the Olympics 1972 in Munich. Following bids including from Berlin for 2000 and Leipzig for 2012 failed, while bids from Munich for the 2022 Winter Games and Hamburg for 2024 Summer Games were stopped by referendums. The next Summer Olympics are in Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032. India, Istanbul, Madrid and Rome have expressed interest in 2036 or 2040.
