Germany plans to propose new help to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses during a meeting of Kyiv’s allies in Paris on Thursday, Sept. 4. A government official told AFP that the initiative would be part of broader security guarantees under discussion by a group of about 30 countries backing Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the talks in person, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to join remotely.
Germany, already Ukraine’s largest military backer in Europe after the United States, wants to increase Kyiv’s protection against Russian missile and drone attacks by about 20% each year.
The proposal also envisions boosting Ukraine’s offensive capabilities, including possible joint production of long-range cruise missiles on Ukrainian soil with German financial and technical support.
In addition, Berlin is ready to provide equipment for four mechanized infantry brigades, supply hundreds of infantry fighting vehicles, and continue training Ukrainian troops. It also hopes to deepen ties between Ukraine’s arms industry and European defense companies.
But the plan comes with conditions. The official said that US participation is essential, Russia must agree to enter peace negotiations, and approval would be required from both Germany’s coalition government and parliament.
The Paris meeting aims to demonstrate to US President Donald Trump that Europe is prepared to support Ukraine with lasting security guarantees – provided Washington also commits and applies additional pressure on Moscow.
Chancellor Merz has stressed that deploying German troops remains off the table for now. A ceasefire, he said, would be a prerequisite for any peacekeeping mission.
“The most important security guarantee we can provide at this moment is strong support for the Ukrainian army [sic],” Merz told broadcaster Sat1 earlier this week.
In office since May 6, Merz is moving fast to reinforce Western support for Ukraine. The new chancellor has recently announced his decision to officially lift range restrictions on weapons that Germany supplied to Ukraine and declared that Kyiv should not make any concessions.
In July, Merz declared that Germany would play a “decisive role“ in a new deal struck between NATO and the United States to supply Ukraine with weapons to fight Russia’s invasion.
On Tuesday, Sept. 2, the German Chancellor for the first time publicly called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal, saying Europe must step up pressure on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
He argued that Putin sees no reason to agree to a ceasefire and said Europe should work to bring about Russia’s “economic exhaustion,” for example, by placing tariffs on countries that continue trading with Moscow.