German chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for German–Ukrainian government consultations in Berlin on April 14, 2026. Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo
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.