Germany has presented a military aid package to Ukraine worth 5 billion euros, the country's defence ministry said. The announcement came after Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Berlin, the Kyiv Independent reported.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed the agreement in Berlin's Bendlerblock, the headquarters of the German Defense Ministry. The agreement includes direct German investment in the Ukrainian defence industry and a broader contract between Kiev and German arms manufacturers.

Under the new agreement, Germany will help finance the production of long-range weapon systems on Ukrainian territory - leveraging the country's existing industrial capacity and technical expertise.

The German defence ministry said a significant number of these systems are expected to be produced by the end of 2025, with the first batch ready for deployment in the coming weeks. As these systems are already in service with the Ukrainian army, no additional training is required for their use.

Berlin also reaffirmed its commitment to supply Ukraine with essential ammunition and weapons. Weapons heading to Kiev include air defence systems, artillery, land weapon systems and guns. No Taurus missiles were publicly announced as part of the package. | BGNES