Since Russia’s full‑scale invasion, Kyiv has feared being left to defend itself as Western support shifted. US President Donald Trump has pushed for a quick peace deal and sharply cut US aid, increasing the weight of Germany and other European donors. The defeat of Viktor Orbán in Hungary has removed a key European veto point, and German‑Ukrainian talks in Berlin were used to reassure Ukraine that Berlin will continue its support.
Scale and scope of support
Germany is the second‑largest bilateral donor to Ukraine after the United States, providing nearly €100 billion in support since the war began (early 2026 figures). That assistance spans military, financial, technical and humanitarian aid and includes hosting more than one million Ukrainian refugees.
At the Berlin meeting Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would press for the prompt release of a promised €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine. Hungary had earlier blocked the disbursement; with a new Hungarian government in place a mid‑May release appeared possible, according to officials accompanying the German delegation.
Military assistance
German government figures put total military aid provided or earmarked for Ukraine at about €55 billion as of December 31, 2025. This includes transfers from Bundeswehr stocks and state‑financed industry deliveries — air defence systems, artillery, combat vehicles including tanks, small arms and medical supplies. Germany has also trained more than 24,000 Ukrainian soldiers on German soil.
As the conflict has evolved, the battlefield balance shifted: combat tanks — sent after lengthy debate — have proven less decisive than expected, while combat drones now play a dominant role. Germany supplies combat drones to Ukraine, including models produced by German firms operating in Ukraine. Merz said the long‑running debate over sending Taurus cruise missiles is “no longer relevant,” noting Ukrainian industry can now produce long‑range weapons and that Ukraine is “better armed today than ever before.” He stressed that funding remains the principal remaining issue and signaled German readiness to help.
Berlin and Kyiv are planning deeper cooperation on drone production; several jointly manufactured drone types were showcased at the Chancellery. “No army in Europe has been as battle‑tested in recent decades as Ukraine’s,” Merz added, praising Ukrainian resilience and defence‑industry innovation.
Civilian and humanitarian aid
Germany’s bilateral civilian aid (outside EU channels) totals roughly €39 billion. Energy has been a major focus because Russian forces have increasingly targeted infrastructure. Since the war began Berlin has provided over €1.2 billion for Ukraine’s energy sector — the second‑largest energy donor after the US — funding emergency repairs, reconstruction of damaged facilities and cooperation on energy efficiency and renewables.
Humanitarian assistance is delivered via international agencies and NGOs to provide medical care, food, clean water and emergency supplies, with priority given to communities close to active fighting.
Refugees and social support
More than one million Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, have sought refuge in Germany. The federal government supports states and municipalities with housing and care by direct payments or by making federal buildings available as temporary shelters. Refugees receive German language classes, vocational training, integration programs and job‑search assistance; as of February 2026 roughly half of working‑age Ukrainian refugees were employed, according to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB).
Since September Ukrainian men under age 25 have been permitted to leave the country; thousands have registered in Germany, gaining shelter and the right to seek employment. Chancellor Merz urged Kyiv to do more to prevent departures or to facilitate returns. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Ukrainian Social Security Minister Denys Ulyutin opened an information center in Berlin, the “Unity Hub,” to help Ukrainians who want to return home with housing and job support.
Reconstruction and EU integration
Germany is working with Ukrainian authorities, EU partners and G7 members to plan reconstruction aimed at modernising institutions and the economy and advancing EU integration. Berlin supports Ukraine’s European path but doubts that full membership can be achieved quickly; Kyiv’s proposed target of January 1, 2027, is seen as unrealistic by some member states. The new Hungarian government opposes full EU membership for Ukraine. In Berlin, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of an EU or NATO “light,” saying Ukraine needs full integration and robust defence capabilities.
Several international reconstruction conferences have already taken place, including one in Germany in 2024. Poland will host the next Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Gdańsk at the end of June 2026.
Domestic politics and challenges
Support for Ukraine remains broad among most German parties, but opposition persists on the far right and far left. The governing CDU/CSU‑SPD coalition agreed that Ukrainian refugees who entered Germany after April 1, 2025, will receive lower benefits than earlier arrivals, responding to criticism that rules for Ukrainians under the EU’s “Mass Influx Directive” granted unusually generous immediate support.
Both the far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the socialist Left Party oppose current policy for different reasons: the Left emphasizes pacifism and calls for ending military support, while the AfD advocates closer ties with Russia and argues Germany lacks funds to sustain aid, pushing for cheaper Russian energy. Officials fear the AfD could exploit these grievances in state elections in Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania and Saxony‑Anhalt in September.
Outlook
Despite international and domestic headwinds, Berlin presented itself in talks with Kyiv as committed to continuing wide‑ranging support — military, financial, humanitarian and reconstruction planning — while pressing EU partners to unlock promised funding. This article was translated from German.