Strategic partnership Pistorius aims to build new high-tech weapons with Ukraine
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is focusing on the construction of new weapons systems together with Ukraine. The SPD politician told the German Press Agency in Kiev, where he arrived this morning for a visit that was not publicly announced, that cooperation between the two countries should be further expanded. The main aim of the trip was to strengthen this cooperation as part of a strategic partnership.
11.05.2026, 09:03
11.05.2026, 12:22
SDA
"Germany and Ukraine are strategic partners that both benefit from cooperation. This will result in numerous new projects," said the minister. "The focus is on the joint development of state-of-the-art unmanned systems in all ranges, especially in the area of deep strike. This will strengthen the security of our countries."
Deep strike refers to the ability to destroy important targets far in the hinterland of an enemy country. The European NATO partners still have so-called capability gaps in the area of long-range weapons. Pistorius believes it is necessary for the NATO states to close these as quickly as possible.
He said that the German government was striving for further German-Ukrainian joint ventures. "In doing so, we will benefit from the experience of the Ukrainians on the battlefield. We are also planning to use the "Brave One" platform to support developers who can demonstrate promising innovations," said Pistorius.
Ukrainian war experience to help the Bundeswehr
In order to compensate for a lack of longer-range weapons, Ukraine has now made extensive in-house developments. In the fifth year of the defensive struggle against Russia, it is considered a world leader in drone combat. New deployment procedures have been derived from painful experiences on the front.
In the meantime, Russia's troops are under increasing pressure from the resistance of Ukraine, which is supported by NATO states - Germany is at the forefront here. In April, the Russian military lost more territory in Ukraine than it occupied for the first time in years.
Ukrainian drones in particular are hitting their targets at ever shorter intervals, even far behind the front line. At the same time, the fighting is largely stalemated and there is hardly any real movement on the battlefield. According to Western military figures, Russia recorded 35,000 dead and injured in April alone.
What comes after the ceasefire expires?
The expiry of the ceasefire on Monday, which Russia and Ukraine had agreed to under the mediation of US President Donald Trump, is being viewed with concern. This agreement was prompted by the celebrations in Russia to mark the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin wanted to ensure a disruption-free military parade in Moscow, while the Ukrainian side wanted to enforce a longer ceasefire against this backdrop.
During the years of war, Russia repeatedly shelled Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Russian troops have continued to attack "in the directions that are decisive for them" despite the current ceasefire. In his evening video address, Zelensky said that Russia had launched around 150 attacks in the past 24 hours. The Russian military also accused the other side of continuous provocations and attacks.
Germany wants to mobilize more private capital
Germany has recently increased its support for Ukraine's defensive campaign. The German government also wants to attract more private German investors to invest in Ukrainian defense companies and joint ventures.
In order to discuss the conditions for this, the Ministry of Defense hosted a conference call in Berlin with representatives of the Ukrainian government. Banks, funds and other relevant players in the financial sector were also present for the first time.
In mid-April, the German government agreed on a "strategic partnership" with Ukraine during government consultations and pledged further military aid. In future, the cooperation is to extend far beyond Germany's military and financial aid so that both sides can benefit from it in the long term.
It was announced that Germany will finance a contract between Ukraine and the US defense company Raytheon for the delivery of several hundred Patriot missiles. Furthermore, the delivery of additional launchers for Iris-T air defense systems has been agreed with the German company Diehl Defence. The production of medium and longer-range drones has also been agreed. There are plans to establish a joint venture with the aim of supplying thousands of drones.
Arms aid to strengthen Ukraine's negotiating position
The declared aim of Germany and other supporters of Ukraine is to give the country as strong a position as possible in any peace negotiations with Russia. Moscow should not be able to dictate rules for a peace solution to the attacked country, which could include ceding territory.
