During a meeting in Berlin with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Chancellor Merz confirmed that Germany and Ukraine reached a five-point agreement, including expanded military cooperation and a joint plan for producing long-range missiles.

“This is the first step toward industrial-level cooperation,” Merz said, adding that the weapons could target threats beyond Ukrainian territory. A memorandum on missile production will be signed by both defense ministers.

Merz also said Ukraine is ready for technical ceasefire talks with Russia and called on Europe to support these efforts. Zelensky stressed Ukraine’s openness to negotiations but said Russia is blocking progress.

Ahead of the June 24 NATO summit in the Netherlands, Zelensky warned, “If Ukraine is excluded, it will be a victory not just over Ukraine, but over NATO itself.”