Germany to provide €5b military aid package to Ukraine

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov have signed a landmark agreement in Berlin to finance the production of long-range weapons in Ukraine. The initiative is part of a broader German support package for Kyiv, valued at approximately €5 billion.

The agreement was signed during a high-level Ukrainian delegation visit to Berlin, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to the German Defence Ministry, the first batch of long-range weapons will be delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the coming weeks. These systems, already in service, can be deployed immediately without requiring additional training.

Germany also pledged to continue supplying artillery shells, air defence systems, ground weapons, and small arms to Ukraine. A new contract was signed with German defence manufacturer Diehl for the delivery of air defence systems and associated munitions.

In a move to bolster Ukraine’s defence capabilities and self-sufficiency, Germany will invest in repair infrastructure, including the creation of repair facilities within Ukraine. This will be done through joint ventures between German and Ukrainian defence companies.

Support will further extend to communications and medical assistance for the Ukrainian military, with all funding drawn from the German federal budget approved by the Bundestag.

“These measures to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine amount to approximately €5 billion,” the German Defence Ministry confirmed in a statement.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also speaking on Wednesday, confirmed the expansion of military aid to Ukraine but refrained from providing extensive details, in line with a new German policy to limit public information on military support. Merz also reiterated Germany’s opposition to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and criticized Russia’s approach to peace negotiations, suggesting the Kremlin is stalling to avoid a genuine resolution to the ongoing war.