Deepening Military Collaboration Between Germany and Ukraine
In a significant move to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities, Germany is intensifying its arms cooperation with Ukraine. This collaboration, which focuses on funding the domestic production of long-range weapons, aims to counter Russian drone and missile attacks.
Last week, German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock's counterpart, Andrij Sybiha, and other high-ranking officials, including representatives from German arms companies, attended a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The discussions revolved around the production of advanced weapons systems to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression.
Germany's military support for Ukraine is unique among Western aid, as it primarily involves financing and supporting Ukraine's own defense manufacturing capabilities rather than directly sending German-made weapons. This approach is designed to foster long-term collaboration and rapid production and delivery of weapons.
The Strategic Industries Ministry, recently merged with the Defense Ministry, oversees this process, maintaining ongoing dialogue with German partners on further financial and technical support. A Memorandum of Cooperation between the Federation of German Industries and the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry also promotes joint research and development projects.
This cooperation has already resulted in Ukraine beginning to receive hundreds of German-financed, domestically produced long-range weapon systems by late July 2025. These systems are capable of striking deep into Russian territory, targeting depots and command centers.
The intensified arms cooperation comes amidst a series of Russian attacks on Ukraine. Overnight on Sunday, Russia fired more than 500 drones, rockets, and cruise missiles at Ukraine, marking the highest number of attacks since the start of the war. The attacks resulted in injuries and heavy damage to civilian infrastructure.
Despite the political sensitivity and limited public disclosure on specific arms deals, high-level German officials and arms industry representatives are actively engaged in strengthening Ukraine's defense infrastructure.
During his visit to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Baerbock paid tribute to the victims of the mass murder of the Jewish population under German occupation in 1941 at the Babyn Yar memorial site. The site, where more than 33,000 Jewish men, women, and children were shot in the narrow ravine, serves as a stark reminder of the past and the importance of the current cooperation.
The visit marked Baerbock's first trip to Ukraine since taking office. She also attended an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in the west Ukrainian city of Lviv on May 9. Talks between business representatives of both countries and Ukrainian decision-makers were planned on the sidelines.
One individual who was impacted by the recent attacks is Natalia, an employee of the German embassy. Her apartment was damaged by the blast wave of the rocket impact. Despite the danger, Natalia and her daughter survived in a shelter. Her husband, who had stayed in the apartment, managed to get to safety at the last minute and sustained minor injuries.
In light of these ongoing attacks, Zelenskyy expressed interest in expanding arms cooperation, potentially concluding up to 20 new partnerships in the coming days. Baerbock stated that German arms companies are already active in Ukraine and Ukrainian companies are working in Germany, benefiting both sides.
Sybiha warned that today's Russian forces are different from those of 2022, gaining experience, using new technologies, and testing prototypes. Baerbock considered the freedom of Ukraine to be the most important task of foreign policy. She reiterated Germany's commitment to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
Finance plays a crucial role in the recently intensified arms cooperation between Germany and Ukraine, as the focus is on funding Ukraine's domestic production of long-range weapons. This strategy is part of a larger effort to foster long-term collaboration and rapid production and delivery of weapons for Ukraine's defense.
Investing in advanced weapons systems is a key aspect of the discussions between German officials and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The goal is to research, develop, and produce these systems to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression, as part of a joint venture under the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Federation of German Industries and the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry.
