Germany is set to finance the production of long-range missiles in Ukraine after the two countries agreed a defence-sector pact.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky made the the announcement alongside German chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, as Kyiv pushes to shore up its own defence industry to continue fighting off the Russian invasion.
Asked whether Germany had agreed to send its Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, a topic of growing speculation, Mr Merz said Berlin wanted to enable the joint production of long-range missiles – but he would not disclose the details publicly.
News of the agreement prompted the Kremlin to accuse Berlin of provocation.
Mr Zelensky was earlier met with military honours at Germany’s federal chancellery, a day after Mr Merz said he believed the war would drag on because Russia refused to negotiate.
The Ukrainian leader warned that Russia was massing at least 50,000 troops near the Sumy region in Ukraine’s northeast.
The build-up follows reports that Russia appears to be gearing up for a summer offensive in Ukraine while Kyiv waits for Moscow to present a memorandum laying out its conditions to proceed with ceasefire talks.
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Key Points
- Zelensky ready for meeting between 'Trump, Putin and me'
- Germany bankrolling Ukrainian-made long-range missiles
- Russia gathering 50,000 troops near Sumy region, Zelensky says
- Trump warns Putin is playing with fire
- US hits back at Russia for stoking Third World War fears: 'Reckless comment'
Germany and US consider more sanctions on Moscow
15:04
,
Jane Dalton
German chancellor Friedrich Merz says his government is holding talks with the US on imposing further sanctions on Russia.
Vladimir Putin's conditions for ending the war in Ukraine include a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to “stop enlarging” Nato eastwards and lift a chunk of sanctions on Russia, according to Russian sources.
Last month, Donald Trump threatened Russia with more sanctions.
Putin-Zelensky meeting possible if agreement made, says Kremlin
14:52
,
Jane Dalton
The Kremlin says a personal meeting between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky is possible but it should be “the outcome of negotiations between Moscow and Kiev on various issues”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were “no changes in the position on the principal possibility of such a meeting", adding: "However, such a meeting should be the result of specific agreements between the two delegations."
Earlier this month, Mr Zelensky said he was prepared to meet Mr Putin at talks in Istanbul, but the Russian leader did not go.
Germany to give Kyiv another £4bn in military aid
14:36
,
Jane Dalton
The defence deal agreed between chancellor Friedrich Merz and Volodymyr Zelensky involves Germany providing further military support for Ukraine amounting to around 5 billion euros (£4.2 billion), its defence ministry said.
The German ministry pointed to Russian air strikes "with many civilians killed and injured, as well as the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure in particular".
Moscow accuses Berlin of 'provocation'
14:10
,
Angus Thompson
The Kremlin has accused Berlin of provocation over an announcement it would finance the production of long-range missiles in Ukraine.
Moscow - which started the war by invading Ukraine in early 2022 - was quick to react to the news that Germany had entered into a defence industry agreement with Kyiv that would allow it to strike Russian targets long-range.
“This is nothing but a further provocation of the war,” Moscow said soon after the announcement.
What is a Taurus missile?
14:00
,
Angus Thompson
Germany and Ukraine have announced an agreement to boost Kyiv’s defence sector. The details are few, but German chancellor Friedrich Merz said earlier it would involve Berlin financing the production of Ukrainian-made missiles.
What is unclear is whether Berlin will send its Taurus cruise missiles to Kyiv after mounting speculation that the European power was bolstering Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian targets from long distances.
The Taurus missile is a German- and Swedish-made weapon that can travel up to 310 miles, meaning it would be able to reach targets deep in Russia from Ukrainian soil.
Former German chancellor Olaf Scholz last year shared his reluctance to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, pointing to a risk of his country becoming directly involved in the war.
However, Mr Merz, before becoming chancellor expressed his support for the idea.
Germany financing Ukrainian-made long-range missiles
13:28
,
Angus Thompson
German chancellor Friedrich Merz says Berlin is bankrolling Ukraine’s manufacture of long-range missiles as Volodymyr Zelensky announced both nations had reached a defence sector agreement.
The pair made the announcement during a Berlin press conference earlier following speculation Germany would send its Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine to aid its defence against Russia.
Asked about the Taurus missiles, Mr Merz told the press conference Berlin wanted to enable the joint production of long-range missiles, however would not disclose the details publicly.
It comes after Mr Merz said earlier this week that European powers had removed restrictions on Ukraine using long-range weapons, however he was unclear about the timing.
Mr Zelensky did not give further details of the defence sector agreement, though he has been pushing for allies to bolster Ukraine’s defence industry.
Ukraine protests to IAEA over Russia building power lines to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
13:16
,
Tom Watling
Ukraine has protested to the international atomic energy watchdog about reports that Russia is building power lines to connect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to its own grid, a Ukrainian official said on Wednesday.
Yuriy Vitrenko, Ukraine's representative to international bodies in Vienna, told Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform that Kyiv sees any attempt by Russia to connect the occupied plant to its grid as a gross violation of international law and Ukrainian sovereignty.
Ukraine's exclusion from Nato summit would mean 'Putin's victory'
13:13
,
Angus Thompson
Volodymyr Zelensky says excluding Kyiv from next month’s Nato summit would be a win for Vladimir Putin.
The Ukrainian president said not inviting Ukraine “would mean Putin’s victory over the alliance” following reports western leaders were considering sidelining him at the upcoming gathering to appease US president Donald Trump.
The Trump administration has been against Ukraine joining the military alliance, which is consistent with Moscow’s position.
However, earlier this month US secretary of state Marco Rubio denied reports Washington had opposed Zelensky’s attendance.
Air strikes on Kyiv 'not the language of peace'
13:04
,
Angus Thompson
Mr Merz has said continued Russian drone strikes on Ukraine, including on the capital Kyiv “are not the language of peace” as he vows continued support for the invaded country.
Mr Merz said Germany would continue to pressure Russia as Europe increases sanctions against Moscow while bolstering assistance for Kyiv.
It follows another night of Ukraine and Russia trading drone strikes, with Moscow claiming to have downed nearly 300 drones across 13 regions of Russia, while Kyiv said it had fended off dozens of attacks.
Former Russian president threatens Trump with World War III after Putin criticism
13:00
,
Tom Watling
A former Russian president has threatened ‘World War III’ after Donald Trump criticised Vladimir Putin for his actions in Ukraine.
The US branded the comments by the often-inflammatory Dmitry Medvedev “reckless”, as the war of the words between the two global powers continues to ramp up. However, diplomatic efforts appear to be ongoing despite the public clashes and in a rare move US embassy officials were seen attending a security meeting in Moscow on Wednesday.
Support of US 'indispensable' to peace talks: Merz
12:56
,
Angus Thompson
German chancellor Friedrich Merz says the support of the United States is “indispensable” to peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Mr Merz said European powers were ready to assist in further talks as Moscow suggests a fresh round of negotiations for a ceasefire is close.
The German chancellor made the comments at a press conference alongside Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin.
Putin foreign policy aide: Trump not informed about what is really happening in Ukraine
12:30
,
Tom Watling
Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide has claimed that Donald Trump doesn’t know the reality of the war in Ukraine.
Yuri Ushakov, one of Putin’s key officials in peace talks, issued the comments after Trump suggested Putin was “playing with fire”.
“We've come to the conclusion that Trump is not sufficiently informed about what is really happening in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian confrontation,” he told Russian state media.
Putin wants written statement ruling out Ukraine's Nato membership, sources say
12:09
,
Tom Watling
President Vladimir Putin's conditions for ending the war in Ukraine include a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to stop enlarging Nato eastwards and lift a chunk of sanctions on Russia, according to three Russian sources with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke with Reuters.
US president Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the deadliest European conflict since World War Two and has shown increasing frustration with Putin in recent days, warning on Tuesday the Russian leader was “playing with fire” by refusing to engage in ceasefire talks with Kyiv as his forces made gains on the battlefield.
After speaking to Trump for more than two hours last week, Putin said that he had agreed to work with Ukraine on a memorandum that would establish the contours of a peace accord, including the timing of a ceasefire. Russia says it is currently drafting its version of the memorandum and cannot estimate how long that will take.
Kyiv and European governments have accused Moscow of stalling while its troops advance in eastern Ukraine.
“Putin is ready to make peace but not at any price,” said one senior Russian source with knowledge of top-level Kremlin thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The three Russian sources said Putin wants a “written” pledge by major Western powers not to enlarge the US-led Nato alliance eastwards - shorthand for formally ruling out membership to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova and other former Soviet republics.
Russia also wants Ukraine to be neutral, some Western sanctions lifted, a resolution of the issue of frozen Russian sovereign assets in the West, and protection for Russian speakers in Ukraine, the three sources said.
The first source said that, if Putin realises he is unable to reach a peace deal on his own terms, he will seek to show the Ukrainians and the Europeans by military victories that “peace tomorrow will be even more painful”.
Kremlin on Trump's 'playing with fire' comments: National interests paramount for Putin
11:46
,
Tom Watling
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in comments about US president Donald Trump's remark that Vladimir Putin was “playing with fire” by refusing to engage in ceasefire talks with Kyiv, said the national interest was paramount for the Russian leader.
He also said in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday that a possible meeting of Putin with Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky should take place only following preparations and talks.
Zelensky says Moscow proposed 'impossible' Belarus location for next talks
11:20
,
Angus Thompson
Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier Moscow proposed Belarus, a close ally of Russia, as the next location for peace talks.
According to Reuters, he described such a meeting place as “impossible for Ukraine”.
Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has told an international security conference preparations for the next direct talks are underway, and will occur in the near future.
However, Russia is yet to deliver a memorandum to Ukraine outlining its terms for a ceasefire after the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv occurred in Istanbul earlier this month.
Merz welcomes Zelensky to Berlin
11:19
,
Angus Thompson
Volodymyr Zelensky has been warmly welcomed to Berlin by German chancellor Friedrich Merz this morning.
After arriving at the Chancellery, the pair stood for a welcoming ceremony in which national anthems were played and the Ukrainian leader was treated to full military honours ahead of talks.
The pair will later front the media for a press conference.
Russian backlash over Merz's long-range missile comments
10:45
,
Angus Thompson
Earlier in the week German chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested European leaders had granted Ukraine fresh capabilities to fire long-range weapons at Russia before Berlin corrected that the decision had been made months before.
Mr Merz said there were no longer any range restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine by Britain, France, Germany and the United States, and that Ukraine could now do "long range fire".
Moscow seized on the comments, with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov telling a press conference on Tuesday the remarks indicated the calibre of people who had risen to power in leading European countries.
"[Mr Merz] said yesterday with such pretentiousness that from now on and forever there are no restrictions on the range of strikes," Mr Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow.
Lavrov said other German officials appeared to have contradicted the chancellor and that such contradictory signals suggested to Moscow that European powers had long ago decided to allow Ukraine to make long-range strikes deep into Russia with European missiles but that the decision "was kept secret".
Could Germany take a larger role in supporting Ukraine?
10:30
,
Angus Thompson
Volodymyr Zelensky is set to be welcomed to Berlin with full military honours later this morning as he meets with new German chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The meeting is being staged against a backdrop of wavering support for Ukraine from the Trump administration and comments from Mr Merz before he took the chancellorship that Germany needed to ween itself off American security.
Mr Merz, a conservative who took office this month, has vowed to take more of a leadership role in ensuring support for Ukraine than his Social Democrat predecessor Olaf Scholz.
Zelensky said on Tuesday he was grateful to Mr Merz for previously coming to Kyiv, but there were "things that we could not discuss because we did not have a long one-on-one. And we agreed that the time will come when I will come to Berlin and we will talk about it."
With Reuters
Zelensky arrives in Berlin for peace talks with Merz
10:13
,
Angus Thompson
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Berlin for peace talks with German chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Mr Zelensky is in Germany to shore up continued support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion, with Mr Merz among Europe’s strongest backers of Ukraine.
Mr Merz said on Tuesday he believed the war would drag on because of Russia's reluctance to negotiate.
"Wars typically end because of economic or military exhaustion on one side or on both sides and in this war we are obviously still far from reaching that (situation)", Mr Merz said at a joint press conference with Finish prime minister Petteri Orpo in Turku, Finland.
"So we may have to prepare for a longer duration.”
With Reuters
Homes burn near Moscow after drone strikes
10:00
,
Angus Thompson
These images show the aftermath of what Russian authorities say are the result of a Ukrainian drone attack that has taken out homes near Moscow.
Firefighters work to douse the structures, fully ablaze after the strike, as both sides continue to trade fire, with Russia claiming to have downed nearly 300 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Zelensky ready for meeting between 'Trump, Putin and me', report says
09:26
,
Angus Thompson
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready for a three-way meeting with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, according to a report by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne.
"We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. The American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this. We are ready for the 'Trump, Putin, and me' format, and we are ready for the Trump-Putin, Trump-Zelensky format, and then the three of us," Zelensky said.
The report comes after Zelensky challenged the Russian president to meet him in Istanbul for direct talks earlier this month, a dare shunned by Putin, who instead sent a junior delegation to negotiate with Ukrainian officials.
His latest comments also follow a phone call between Trump and Putin last week, which came after the US president vowed to meet Putin “as soon as we can” and Moscow asserting peace could only be achieved through direct talks between the US and Russia.
Putin says security should be 'equal and indivisible'
09:10
,
Angus Thompson
In an address to the Moscow security summit, Russian president Vladimir Putin has told the international conference “the new security architecture should be equal and indivisible”.
According to Russian newswire Tass, he explained this to mean: “All states should receive firm guarantees of their own security, but not at the expense of the security and interests of other countries.”
The comments are bizarrely made in the context of Russia’s own invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow now trying to strengthen alliances with China, North Korea, and African nations.
Kremlin to announce next round of direct talks with Ukraine soon
08:50
,
Angus Thompson
Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov says Moscow will announce the next round of direct peace talks with Kyiv in the near future.
Lavrov told an international security conference in Moscow that Ukraine’s neutrality from military alliances such as Nato remained one of Russia’s key demands in ceasefire negotiations.
It follows direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul earlier this month, which resulted in an agreement to exchange 1000 prisoners, a swap that occurred in stages over last weekend.
Ukrainian and US officials are now awaiting a draft ceasefire memorandum to be delivered by Moscow to allow negotiations to continue, with the warring countries meanwhile exchanging daily drone strikes.
Russia gathering 50,000 troops near Sumy region, Zelensky says
08:31
,
Angus Thompson
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Russia has gathered 50,000 troops near Ukraine's northern Sumy region, but added that Kyiv had taken steps to prevent Moscow from conducting a large-scale offensive there.
His warning comes after he flagged Kyiv had “ample evidence” Moscow was planning a summer offensive on Ukraine rather than pursuing peace, as he continues to accuse Russian president Vladimir Putin of manipulating the west.
Sumy lies across the border from Russia's Kursk region where Ukraine previously seized and held a pocket of land for months, before being almost fully pushed out last month, although it says it still holds some areas there.
"Their largest, strongest forces are currently on the Kursk front," Zelensky told reporters on Tuesday.
He said Moscow’s aim was to “push our troops out of the Kursk region and to prepare offensive actions against the Sumy region."
Photos from the frontline
08:10
,
Tom Watling
Below, we have some of the latest pictures from the frontlines in Ukraine.
Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine at record levels
07:55
,
Arpan Rai
Russia has increased its attacks on Ukraine in the past week to weaken Kyiv and "undermine" Western support for the war-hit nation, a think-tank has said.
“Russian forces conducted one of their largest drone and missile strikes of the war against Ukraine on the night of 25 to 26 May after three nights of record strikes,” the Institute for the Study of War said.
“The 25-26 May strike is now the second largest combined strike of the war after Russian forces conducted the largest combined strike on the night of 24-25 May,” it added.
Russia is “may be increasing strikes against Ukraine as part of a cognitive warfare effort to weaken Ukrainian resolve and undermine Western support for Ukraine,” the ISW said.
NEW: Russian forces conducted one of their largest drone and missile strikes of the war against Ukraine on the night of May 25 to 26 after three nights of record strikes. ⬇️(1/3)
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) May 27, 2025
The May 25-26 strike is now the second largest combined strike of the war after Russian forces… pic.twitter.com/MnYt11RSKA
Putin's reluctance will prolong Ukraine war, warns Germany's Merz
07:40
,
Arpan Rai
The war in Ukraine is expected to persist due to Russia's reluctance to enter negotiations, Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz said.
"Wars typically end because of economic or military exhaustion on one side or on both sides and in this war we are obviously still far from reaching that (situation)", Mr Merz said at a joint press conference with Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo in Turku.
"So we may have to prepare for a longer duration," Mr Merz added.
Ukraine's air force says Russia launched 88 drones, five ballistic missiles overnight
07:26
,
Tom Watling
Russia launched 88 drones and five ballistic missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine, Ukraine's air force said on Wednesday.
The military said its air defence units shot down 34 drones while another 37 drones were lost - in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them - or they were drone simulators that did not carry warheads.
Russia says it downs 296 Ukrainian drones overnight
07:17
,
Arpan Rai
Russian air defence systems had downed 296 Ukrainian drones over 13 regions overnight, its defence ministry said.
Officials said these drones were downed over the Moscow region as well as the Bryansk, Belgorod, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver and Tula regions.
In the previous week, a total of 2331 drones had been downed by Russian forces, including 1465 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the country’s defence ministry said.
Amid several rounds of failed talks for ceasefire, the war is intensifying as swarms of drones are being launched by both sides while fierce fighting is underway along key parts of the front.
US hits back at Russia for stoking Third World War fears: 'Reckless comment'
07:11
,
Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg has scolded a top Russian official for stoking fears of a Third World War.
Mr Trump took to Truth Social and said Vladimir Putin was "playing with fire" and cautioned that "REALLY BAD" things would have happened already to Russia if it was not for Mr Trump himself.
"What Vladimir Putin doesn't realise is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened in Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire," Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post yesterday.
Responding to Mr Trump, top Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said: "Regarding Trump's words about Putin 'playing with fire' and 'really bad things' happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing – WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!" Mr Medvedev wrote in a post on X.
US envoy Keith Kellogg quoted Mr Medvedev's post and called it reckless.
"Stoking fears of WW III is an unfortunate, reckless comment... and unfitting of a world power," Mr Kellogg said on X.
"President Trump @POTUS is working to stop this war and end the killing. We await receipt of RU Memorandum (Term Sheet) that you promised a week ago. Cease fire now,” he said.
Donald Trump grows angrier as Vladimir Putin exposes his impotence
06:58
,
Arpan Rai
As Washington settled in for a typically sleepy Memorial Day following the passage of Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in the House, the president fired off one of his trademark furious rants on Truth Social, but the target was a surprise.
This time, the target wasn’t any of his domestic political foes — like the Democrats who voted in lockstep against the budget package he endorsed, or the handful of Republicans who refused to fall into line. It wasn’t even aimed at the various law enforcement figures who have attempted to hold him to account over the years.
Sunday evening’s rant was aimed squarely at Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite what he called a “very good relationship” with Putin, Trump in his latest statement on the Ukraine-Russia war blasted the Russian leader as “absolutely crazy.”
US snaps at Russia for stoking World War fears: 'Reckless comment'
06:53
,
Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg has scolded a top Russian official for stoking fears of a Third World War.
Mr Trump took to Truth Social and said Vladimir Putin was "playing with fire" and cautioned that "REALLY BAD" things would have happened already to Russia if it was not for Mr Trump himself.
"What Vladimir Putin doesn't realise is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened in Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire," Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post yesterday.
Responding to Mr Trump, top Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said: "Regarding Trump's words about Putin 'playing with fire' and 'really bad things' happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing – WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!" Mr Medvedev wrote in a post on X.
US envoy Keith Kellogg quoted Mr Medvedev's post and called it reckless.
"Stoking fears of WW III is an unfortunate, reckless comment... and unfitting of a world power," Mr Kellogg said on X.
"President Trump @POTUS is working to stop this war and end the killing. We await receipt of RU Memorandum (Term Sheet) that you promised a week ago. Cease fire now,” he said.
Germany hosts Zelensky today for bilateral talks
06:29
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to arrive in Berlin today for talks with German chancellor Friedrich Merz.
According to a statement, Mr Merz will receive Mr Zelensky with military honours at the Federal Chancellery at noon (10am GMT).
The newly-inducted German chancellor has ramped up the country’s efforts to help Ukraine fight back against Russian aggression, aligning his efforts with those of the British and the French governments.
On Monday, Mr Merz said his country and other major allies are no longer imposing any range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.
It was unclear whether this represented a change in policy.
Germany has been the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States since the full-scale war began in February 2022.
US says Russia should focus on ending war, not Trump's social media
05:58
,
Arpan Rai
Russia should focus less on president Donald Trump’s social media posts and more on ending its war against Ukraine, US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said last night.
"If the Russians cared about the nature of how [peace efforts are] proceeding, they would be thinking less about [the president’s statements] and more about what they could do – which is in their hands – to stop the carnage and the slaughter that’s happening right now," Ms Bruce said in a press briefing.
The remarks from the US state department come shortly after the Kremlin blamed Mr Trump’s recent remarks on Vladimir Putin on “emotional overload”.
Mr Trump said the Russian president had gone “absolutely crazy” after the weekend bombardment of Ukraine that killed at least 12 people.