Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Germany has lifted range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine, allowing them to conduct defensive operations deeper into Russian territory. This marks a significant shift from the previous government’s cautious approach, which avoided providing long-range missiles due to escalation concerns. Merz emphasized the need for strategic ambiguity in arms exports going forward. Additionally, he criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's intransigence regarding peace talks, highlighting the evolving dynamics in international support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia.
"There are no longer any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine -- neither by the British nor by the French nor by us nor by the Americans... this means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia."
"Putin obviously sees offers of talks as a sign of weakness..."
"The previous German government... shied away from sending long-range Taurus missiles, worried that this might escalate tensions with the nuclear power."
"Our new stance will be one of strategic ambiguity regarding what arms we send to Ukraine."
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