Germany provided a green light for Ukraine, using long-range weapons provided by Berlin to strike inside Russia, a decision marking a clear hardening of the war.
The shift announced by Prime Minister Friedrich Merz lifted long-term restrictions on the range of German missiles and was consistent with Berlin and some other Kiev allies, including Britain and France.
"We will do our best to continue to support Ukraine," Melz said in a statement on Monday's social media platform X.
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It is unclear whether Germany will provide Ukraine with a special Taurus missile, and as Kiev previously asked, Melz confirmed that Ukrainian forces are no longer subject to geographical restrictions when using the German system. "Ukraine can now defend itself by attacking Russia's military stance," the Prime Minister said.
The Kremlin condemned the move. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media that it was “a rather dangerous decision” and warned that it would undermine ongoing efforts to achieve political reconciliation.
“If such a decision is made, they will absolutely go against our desire to reach a political reconciliation and the efforts made within the framework of reconciliation,” he said.
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The shift marks the departure of Meers' predecessor, Olaf Scholz, who refuses to send long-range weapons to Ukraine on fears of Russia's escalation. During his visit to Kiev in December last year, Schultz reiterated his refusal, even as Germany announced a €650 million military aid package.
By contrast, Meers attempts to emphasize the unity among Ukraine’s Western allies. "There are no more weapons restrictions on Ukraine, the British, the French, and we are not subject to Americans," the Prime Minister stressed in a press conference on Monday.
A government official later told Reuters that the announcement was not a policy change, as Merz had never imposed such restrictions since May 6.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Berlin on Wednesday, May 28 to meet with Merz.
Although Berlin's position has now changed, the United States has not confirmed whether it has lifted all restrictions on Ukrainian long-range missile supplies. according to Kyiv PostalPresident Donald Trump “seriously considers” lifting those restrictions, two senior officials said, despite some restrictions still being held. The report said Trump was reviewing the contents and he “thinks that the current status quo is not the common interest of us bringing Russia into the (negotiation) table.”
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Former President Joe Biden lifted some restrictions on long-range missiles. In November 2024, less than two weeks after his loss to Trump's presidential election, Biden authorized the use of ATACMS missiles in strikes on Russian territory. Since then, Ukraine has used these weapons to achieve its target in the Bryansk region and other parts of western Russia.
Minister Melz's decision to raise similar restrictions could enhance Ukraine's ability to attack within Russian territory. In November, Ukrainian troops used British long-range storm bombs. Military sources told Sky News that the strike using missiles was "very successful" and was a target in the Kursk region.
Myers' announcement comes at a time of uncertainty about a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Last week, President Trump held what he called “excellent” appeal with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, saying negotiations between the two countries will begin immediately.
But within a few days, Russia launched its biggest attack on its neighbors since the war began, killing 12 people, including three shotguns, 367 drones and missile children.
Trump issued the truth, condemning the attack as "unnecessarily killed many people" and called Putin "absolutely crazy." The president also criticized Zelensky, saying that the Ukrainian president "does any help to his country by talking about him. Everything that comes out of his mouth will cause problems, I don't like it, and it's better to stop."