Ukraine has been given a green light to use Western-supplied weapons to strike military targets inside Russian territory, according to a landmark announcement by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. In a message shared on his official X page, Merz stated that there are now no restrictions on the range of weapons provided to Ukraine by Germany and its Western allies. This move marks a significant shift in policy and signals stronger military backing for Ukraine in its fight to defend itself from Russian aggression.
Chancellor Merz wrote, “We will do everything possible to continue to support Ukraine. This also means that there are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons supplied by us. Ukraine can now also defend itself by attacking military positions in Russia.” His message was confirmed by remarks at the WDR Europaforum, where Merz added that this decision applies to weapons delivered not only by Germany, but also by Britain, France and the United States.
Though the announcement did not confirm whether Germany would now deliver Taurus cruise missiles, which have long been requested by Ukrainian officials, the removal of range limits effectively permits Ukraine to conduct deeper precision strikes against Russian military infrastructure. This could impact airfields, missile launch sites and command centres used by the Russian dictatorship for attacks against Ukraine.
This policy change follows growing calls across Europe to increase support for Ukraine’s ability to conduct legitimate self-defence operations beyond its borders. The war, now in its third year, shows no sign of ending. Merz himself acknowledged that there are currently no visible signs of a resolution, although he expressed hope for potential talks in the Vatican. He reiterated that Germany must maintain an “active, supportive and strong” role in all peace efforts, while standing firmly with Ukraine’s right to resist the full-scale invasion.
Ukraine’s leadership has consistently argued that the ability to strike Russian military targets across the border is essential for national security. Russia has used its own territory as a sanctuary from which it launches missile and drone attacks with impunity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior defence officials have urged allies to stop treating Russian territory as off-limits, especially when Russia itself has not respected any boundaries in its brutal assault on Ukrainian cities, civilians and infrastructure.
Western hesitation has been one of the key constraints on Ukraine’s military strategy. While Ukrainian forces have proven their effectiveness in repelling Russian ground advances and in carrying out drone strikes, they have often had to avoid using donated weapons for long range operations inside Russia due to political limits. That red line now appears to have been erased.
The move is expected to cause outrage in the Kremlin, which frequently accuses the West of escalating the conflict, even as it continues to occupy Ukrainian territory and bomb Ukrainian towns. However, supporters of Ukraine argue that it is Russia that escalated in the first place with its full-scale invasion, war crimes and continued use of banned weapons. They also point out that the Russian dictator has ignored every previous warning from the international community.
