Germany, Ukraine Sign Defense Pact, Upgrade Ties to Strategic Partnership

Merz said Russia has ‘no chance’ of winning the war as Berlin expands support for Ukraine’s air defense, drones, ammunition, and long-range capabilities.
Germany, Ukraine Sign Defense Pact, Upgrade Ties to Strategic Partnership
German chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for German–Ukrainian government consultations in Berlin on April 14, 2026. Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

Germany and Ukraine upgraded their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership on April 14 and signed a defense cooperation agreement during meetings in Berlin, as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged deeper military-industrial cooperation and said Russia has “no chance” of winning the war.

The new framework, set out in a 15-page declaration released on Tuesday by the German chancellery, commits Berlin and Kyiv to closer political, security, and economic ties. It lays out plans for expanded collaboration in industrial recovery and post-war reconstruction, as well as in the areas of air defense, drones, ammunition, and long-range strike systems.

Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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