Zelenskyy arrives in Germany for meeting with Merz

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in the German capital Berlin, where he will meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and take part in Ukrainian-German intergovernmental consultations.

According to Zelenskyy's spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov, the leaders' meeting is expected to begin at 11:45 Kyiv time. Following the meeting, a joint press conference and document signing are scheduled for 13:10.

The plenary session of the intergovernmental consultations, with the participation of the Ukrainian president and the German chancellor, is expected to take place from 13:55 to 15:00.

Before Zelenskyy's visit to Berlin, representatives of the Green party criticised German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his justification of the decision not to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles.

Merz previously stated that he no longer sees the need to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles in light of Kyiv's technological progress on the battlefield.

At the end of May last year, the defence ministers of Germany and Ukraine signed an agreement in Berlin on financing long-range Ukrainian-made weaponry.