3 days ago
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Germany to bankroll Kyiv-made long-range missiles in new military pact
Germany is set to finance the production of long-range missiles in Ukraine after the two countries agreed a defence-sector pact.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky made the the announcement alongside German chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, as Kyiv pushes to shore up its own defence industry to continue fighting off the Russian invasion.
Asked whether Germany had agreed to send its Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, a topic of growing speculation, Mr Merz said Berlin wanted to enable the joint production of long-range missiles – but he would not disclose the details publicly.
News of the agreement prompted the Kremlin to accuse Berlin of provocation.
Mr Zelensky was earlier met with military honours at Germany's federal chancellery, a day after Mr Merz said he believed the war would drag on because Russia refused to negotiate.
The Ukrainian leader warned that Russia was massing at least 50,000 troops near the Sumy region in Ukraine's northeast.
The build-up follows reports that Russia appears to be gearing up for a summer offensive in Ukraine while Kyiv waits for Moscow to present a memorandum laying out its conditions to proceed with ceasefire talks.
