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Merz gives Ukraine green light to strike deep inside Russia

Patrick Donahue and Michael Nienaber, Bloomberg News on

Published in News & Features

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine has been given permission to use weapons supplied by its allies to launch strikes deep inside Russia.

“There are absolutely no range limits anymore for weapons delivered to Ukraine, not from Britain, the French or from us — also not from the Americans,” Merz said at a conference in Berlin on Monday. “That means Ukraine can defend itself by attacking military positions also in Russia.”

The U.S. has previously approved the deployment of Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS, in border regions with Russia. The U.K. meanwhile approved Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow cruise missiles on deeper targets. Germany had long refused to deliver the long-range Taurus cruise missile, though Merz has expressed approval of its use.

Ukraine’s Western allies are trying to intensify pressure on the Kremlin after Moscow launched its biggest drone barrage against Ukraine since the full-scale invasion over three years ago. European leaders have condemned what they call Russia’s foot-dragging as efforts to lock in a ceasefire have gone nowhere.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has long pleaded for authorization to hit targets within Russian territory to disrupt logistics networks and personnel — and to hit weaponry used in attacks on Ukraine. That appeal has gained added resonance with Russia’s fresh set of attacks as well as Putin’s reluctance to engage in serious talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier expressed his frustration with Putin over a stalled bid to end the war. On Sunday, the U.S. leader said he was considering new sanctions on Russia and called Putin “absolutely CRAZY!” for “needlessly killing a lot of people” with drone and missile attacks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that, if confirmed, a decision to allow long-range strikes could undermine efforts toward reaching a political settlement, according to Interfax. He called such a decision “dangerous.”

The Kremlin brushed aside Trump’s criticism as an “emotional reaction” and defended the deadly campaign of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine.

The Kremlin’s reaction has underlined Putin’s willingness to continue Europe’s largest conflict since World War II. Despite pressure from the U.S., the Russian leader has stuck to his maximalist demands on Kyiv for ending his invasion, which is now in its fourth year.

Merz, who took office this month after a campaign in which he appeared more hawkish on Moscow than his predecessor Olaf Scholz, said his government will do “everything in our power” to maintain military support for Kyiv. Last week, he publicly advocated spending up to 5% of economic output on defense for the first time.

Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Berlin on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the plans. Merz and Zelenskyy are expected to discuss further military support from Germany for Ukraine’s war effort and broader efforts to secure a ceasefire, the person said, asking not to be named discussing private conversations.

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking to reporters during a visit to Vietnam, said a deadline on the Kremlin would serve to show that Putin “is lying” and urged Trump to back up his comments with additional measures against Russia.

 

“In recent hours, we have once again seen Donald Trump express his anger,” Macron said. “I simply hope now that this will translate into action.”

Russia launched a record number of drones as well as nine cruise missiles at regions across the Ukraine overnight, Zelenskyy said on the social media platform X Monday. The Ukrainian leader said the attack left people injured and civilian infrastructure damaged.

That was the culmination of three consecutive nights of strikes. Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday at least 12 people were killed in the previous night, prompting Zelenskyy to renew his call for more sanctions. The attacks coincided with a third day of prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.

The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas described the latest strikes as “totally appalling” in her comments to reporters on Monday. “It’s up to us to put the pressure on Russia,” she said.

Last week, Kyiv targeted central Russia with drones nearly continuously for several days, a departure from earlier attacks that typically occurred overnight. Peskov said Monday that the latest Russian attacks were “retaliatory strikes” for Ukraine targeting civilian infrastructure.

Russia said it repelled 96 drones overnight Sunday with some targeting Moscow and causing flight disruptions at major airports in the region around the Russian capital.

Trump also lashed out at Zelenskyy in the same social media in which he criticized Putin.

“President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,” he said in the Truth Social post. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”

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—With assistance from Samy Adghirni, Daryna Krasnolutska and Henry Meyer.


©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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