Germany has removed all range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine, granting Kyiv explicit permission to strike military targets inside Russian territory, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Monday. The decision, coordinated with the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, marks a major shift in how NATO-backed weapons may be used in the war.
"We will do everything in our power to continue supporting Ukraine. This also means no longer having any range restrictions on the weapons we supply," Merz posted on X. "Ukraine can now also defend itself by attacking military positions in Russia."
Speaking at a forum organized by WDR public television, Merz elaborated: "That means Ukraine can also defend itself by, for example, attacking military positions in Russia. Until a while ago, it couldn't. It can now." He described the policy as enabling "long-range fire," aimed at targets "in the hinterland."
A day later in Finland, Merz confirmed that the policy had already been quietly in place: "Countries that had imposed limits on how far into Russia Ukraine could fire Western weapons had long since abandoned these requirements."
The statement follows Russia's largest drone assault of the war. Ukrainian officials reported that nearly 900 drones and dozens of missiles were launched over three days, including 355 drones and nine cruise missiles on Sunday alone. Ukraine's air force called it the most intense aerial bombardment since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. At least 12 civilians were reported dead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, "There is no military logic in this, but it is a clear political choice of Russia."
Former President Donald Trump, who has been trying to broker a ceasefire deal with Moscow, condemned the attacks. "He has gone absolutely CRAZY!" Trump wrote of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Truth Social. "Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever." Trump added: "Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop."
The Kremlin dismissed Trump's comments as "emotional overload." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the lifting of missile range restrictions "a rather dangerous decision," and warned it undermines political negotiations.
Ukraine has previously received long-range Western systems, including U.S. ATACMS, British Storm Shadows, and French SCALP missiles. Kyiv began firing Storm Shadow missiles into Russia in late 2023 after the U.S. cleared ATACMS use.
While Merz has supported delivering Germany's own Taurus missiles, which would further extend Ukraine's reach, his government has so far withheld them. A German official told Reuters the latest declaration did not represent a change in Berlin's posture but acknowledged it as a formal clarification.
Inside Ukraine, there's skepticism over the significance of the announcement. Oleksandr Merezkho, chair of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said, "Our cupboard is totally empty." Ivan Stupak, a former SBU officer, echoed that point: "It means little if Ukraine's supply of such weapons is dwindling."
William Freer, a research fellow at the U.K.'s Council on Geostrategy, noted, "Low stocks of long-range strike weapons in the inventories of European countries is a serious concern." He added that the Taurus missile "would provide a boost to Ukraine's fortunes on the front line."
Trump's peace overtures have also hit a wall. Though Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire in March, Moscow has yet to sign on. Trump, who blamed both sides, said, "Something has happened to him [Putin]... He is needlessly killing a lot of people."
