Overview

• Germany and Ukraine signed a memorandum in Berlin to build long-range cruise missiles in Ukrainian territory that can strike targets in Russia without retrictions on their use.
• German financing will bankroll production, with the first Ukrainian-made systems expected to enter service within weeks.
• The initiative marks a shift from direct deliveries of German Taurus missiles, which are opposed by Social Democrats, toward supporting Ukraine’s own defense industry.
• Merz declared that Moscow shows no genuine willingness to negotiate a lasting ceasefire, citing recent massive air raids on Kyiv as evidence.
• Berlin will no longer publicly detail future arms shipments to Kyiv, opting for a posture of strategic ambiguity over its military aid.