Zelenskyy Meets Merz, Urges German Arms Amid Russian Escalation/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Berlin to urge new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for more military support amid intensified Russian attacks. Zelenskyy called for long-range weapons and proposed high-level peace talks with President Trump and President Putin. Germany remains Ukraine’s second-largest weapons donor but has yet to commit Taurus cruise missiles.
Zelenskyy Seeks Arms in Berlin: Quick Looks
- Berlin Summit: Zelenskyy meets Chancellor Merz amid renewed Russian aggression
- Peace Talks Proposed: Zelenskyy open to trilateral summit with Trump and Putin
- Merz’s Shift: Germany drops range restrictions on weapons for Ukraine
- Taurus Missiles in Spotlight: Kyiv hopes for approval of long-range German weapons
- Russia Escalates Attacks: Record-breaking drone strikes and missile barrages reported
- Drone Production Race: Russia aims for 350 daily, Ukraine seeks $30B investment
- German Foreign Minister in DC: Talks planned with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio
- Strategic Ambiguity: Germany withholding specifics on future military aid
Zelenskyy Meets Merz, Urges German Arms Amid Russian Escalation
Deep Look
Zelenskyy Appeals for Arms, Peace at Berlin Meeting With Chancellor Merz
Berlin, May 28, 2025 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to meet newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, seeking urgent military support as Russian drone and missile strikes intensify across Ukraine. The high-stakes visit comes amid calls for new Western assistance and as diplomatic discussions with Russia remain at a standstill.
Germany has been Ukraine’s second-largest defense partner after the U.S., and Zelenskyy’s stop in Berlin signals a critical point in the war effort as Ukraine’s forces face mounting pressure along a stretched 1,000-kilometer front.
Merz, only three weeks into office, has moved quickly to align Germany’s stance with NATO allies and push for a unified Western approach to ending the war. On Monday, he announced Germany and its allies would no longer impose range limits on weapons given to Ukraine—a major shift from former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s policies.
Talks of Peace, But Escalation on the Ground
In his comments Tuesday, Zelenskyy expressed readiness for top-level peace negotiations and offered to meet with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, either trilaterally or separately.
“We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. Both the American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this,” Zelenskyy said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Trump’s mediation but emphasized that “national interests” would guide any future agreement. Russia has yet to provide its promised memorandum detailing a peace framework.
Taurus Missiles and Strategic Ambiguity
Though Merz has lifted range restrictions, he has yet to confirm whether Germany will send Taurus cruise missiles, which can strike targets up to 500 kilometers away. The weapon, equipped with stealth capabilities, could allow Ukraine to hit deep Russian positions, including naval targets in the Black Sea.
Zelenskyy said he had not received confirmation from Germany that their stance on targeting Russian territory had changed. Nonetheless, he said long-range weapons would be a key part of his discussion with Merz.
Germany has also shifted to a “strategic ambiguity” policy, refraining from publicizing weapon transfers, a stark contrast to Scholz’s more transparent approach.
Drone War Heats Up
Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine needs an additional $30 billion to scale its domestic missile and drone production to compete with Russia, which is aiming to produce up to 350 drones daily.
“Ukraine wants European countries to invest in the manufacturing of attack drones, air defense interceptors, cruise missiles and ballistic systems,” Zelenskyy said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, both sides are escalating deep strikes. Late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Russia claimed it downed 296 Ukrainian drones across 13 regions, in what could be one of the largest Ukrainian drone offensives of the war.
Moscow’s air defenses also intercepted 33 drones near the capital, while Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov reported 42 drones were neutralized. Drone debris damaged residential buildings, and hundreds of flights were delayed at Moscow airports.
Strikes Hit Ukrainian Infrastructure
Ukraine’s Air Force reported overnight attacks involving 88 drones, five Iskander ballistic missiles, and a guided air-launched missile. Of these, 34 drones were shot down, and 37 were neutralized through jamming.
Railway infrastructure in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Sumy regions sustained damage. In Kharkiv, rail traffic was briefly halted to clear debris. In Sloviansk, windows were shattered and train cars damaged by falling drone fragments.
Zelenskyy said Russia is mobilizing 45,000 men monthly—nearly double Ukraine’s current rate of 25,000 to 27,000—raising urgent concerns about sustaining front-line defense.
What Comes Next?
As Ukraine awaits decisions from Berlin on further arms shipments, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Washington later today. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy continues his European tour to lock in both financial and military support as Russia presses forward with what many analysts are calling a spring offensive.
With calls for peace and pledges for firepower, Zelenskyy’s Berlin visit highlights the tightrope Ukraine is walking between diplomacy and escalation.
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