**Germany and Ukraine to Sign Deal on Long-Range Missiles, Berlin to Help Fund Starlink Operations**
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced that Germany will sign a memorandum with Ukraine to jointly purchase “long-range fires” manufactured by Ukraine. This move was revealed during a joint press conference held on May 28 in Berlin, where Merz met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Merz, the agreement aims to enable Ukraine to fully defend itself and strike military targets outside its territory without any restrictions. The German Chancellor described this cooperation as “a new form of military-industrial cooperation” between their countries, which has significant potential. This move is seen as a major shift in Germany’s stance on providing military aid to Ukraine.
**Germany Reverses Course on Military Aid**
The agreement comes after speculation that Germany would finally reverse its long-held policy of not sending Taurus missiles to Kyiv due to concerns over escalating the war against Russia. However, when questioned about potential Taurus deliveries during the press conference, Merz avoided a direct answer and refused to discuss military support in detail.
Before becoming Chancellor, Merz had signaled that he would overturn a ban on Taurus deliveries imposed by his predecessor, Social Democrat Olaf Scholz. This change in stance is seen as significant, given Ukraine’s increasing reliance on Western-made long-range missiles. Ukrainian forces have been using U.S.-made ATACMS for over a year and U.K.-French Storm Shadows for more than two years.
**Starlink Funding Also Announced**
In addition to the memorandum on joint missile purchases, Berlin has also agreed to help finance the operations of Starlink in Ukraine. This move is seen as crucial in supporting Ukraine’s communication infrastructure during the ongoing conflict.
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