German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian counterpart Mykhailo Fedorov signed an agreement in Kyiv on Monday to launch "Brave Germany," a joint program focused on developing defense technology and supporting innovative startups.
Fedorov said Germany is now "the world's leading provider of security support for Ukraine," accounting for about a third of all assistance provided to the country.
Pistorius arrived in Kyiv for a surprise visit aimed at deepening defense cooperation. The main focus is joint development of cutting-edge unmanned systems across all ranges, particularly in the area of deep strike.
This follows a €4 billion defense package agreed upon last month, including funding for Patriot missiles, IRIS-T launchers, and €300 million for Ukrainian deep-strike capabilities. It also includes joint production of AI-enabled medium-range strike drones, with an initial batch of 5,000 for Ukrainian forces.
Despite Germany's massive military spending, the Bundeswehr still lacks deep-strike capability - precision strikes against targets hundreds of kilometers behind frontlines. Plans to station American Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany are now in doubt after President Donald Trump announced troop reductions in Europe.
Pistorius is planning a trip to Washington to try to convince the Trump administration to sell Germany Tomahawk missiles and Typhon launch systems. Currently, the Bundeswehr's only deep-strike option is the Taurus cruise missile with a range of over 500 kilometers.
Ukraine's domestically produced "Flamingo" missile could help close Germany's gap. The ground-launched missile carries a 1,150-kilogram payload and has been used to strike targets deep inside Russia, including a factory in Votkinsk over 1,300 kilometers from Ukraine.