Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has indicated that Ukraine’s existing domestic arms production capabilities may surpass the potential contribution of German-supplied Taurus missiles. The comments, made during a recent discussion about bolstering Ukraine’s defense, suggest a shift in focus towards supporting Ukraine’s independent arms manufacturing.
“Currently, Ukraine itself has long-range weapons in its own warehouses, which it has partially built itself with our assistance, and which are significantly more effective than the relatively small number of Taurus missiles we could supply,” Merz explained. He further stated, “In terms of weapons technology, Ukraine has developed far, far, far beyond what we were talking about when this war began.”
The remarks came as Ukraine continues to seek advanced weaponry from its Western allies to counter Russia’s ongoing military operations. Germany has been a key backer of Ukraine, ranking as the second-largest provider of military aid after the United States. But, previous German leadership had been hesitant to provide Taurus missiles, citing concerns about direct involvement in the conflict.
Merz took office earlier this month, promising increased support for Ukraine and announcing that range restrictions on weapons supplied by Western allies had been lifted. The potential deployment of German-made Taurus missiles, which have a range of 500km (310 miles), has been a subject of speculation in recent weeks, as reported by the BBC.
Despite the discussions surrounding the Taurus missiles, Merz did not make any commitments regarding their supply during a joint appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 28, 2025. Instead, he pledged German assistance in developing long-range missile production within Ukraine itself, as detailed in a report by Al Jazeera.
Germany’s defense ministry has stated that Berlin will finance the production of long-range weapons systems in Ukraine, with the first of these systems potentially deployable within weeks. The Kremlin has warned that ending range restrictions on missiles supplied to Ukraine would be a dangerous escalation, but Merz has emphasized that the decision to lift those restrictions was made months ago. This development underscores the evolving dynamics of Western support for Ukraine as the conflict continues.
