Germany’s defense ministry further intensified the crisis, announcing that Berlin will finance the production of long-range weapons systems in Ukraine, with the first units potentially deployed by Ukrainian forces within weeks. This move, part of Merz’s broader commitment to bolster Ukraine’s military, aligns with his assertion that allies like the US, UK, and France have lifted arms restrictions, though Washington has yet to confirm this shift.
The Kremlin’s response was swift and uncompromising, with the State Duma Defense Committee declaring that Russia will react “harshly, asymmetrically, and decisively” if Germany supplies Taurus missiles to Kyiv. This stark warning underscores the growing risk of direct confrontation, as Merz’s aggressive stance, unbacked by clear allied consensus, places Berlin in Moscow’s crosshairs, raising global alarm over the potential for catastrophic escalation.
Modernity.news reports: Already over the last several days running Russia’s military has struck Kiev, and has long threatened to ramp up attacks on ‘command centers’ – including places where foreign troops and Western advisers might be located.
Russian state media has been more blunt in reaction to Merz’s comments, warning that Moscow could simply directly strike Berlin if German-made missiles begin raining down on Russian cities…
Word in Moscow is if Merz uses German weapons to strike Moscow - and we all know that Kiev has no independent capacity to operate Tauruses or other long-range missiles - then Russia will have no choice but to strike Berlin directly.
— Margarita Simonyan (@M_Simonyan) May 28, 2025
Simple enough. pic.twitter.com/8jYMr0zpUe
These threats were not made officially, but this is often how the Kremlin indirectly communicates its most dire warnings – either through a mid-level official or something like the outspoken editor-in-chief of RT.
President Trump has said this week that Putin is “playing with fire” with the continual aerial attacks on Kiev and other locations in Ukraine. But Russia has pointed to the literally thousands of drones launched on its territory from Ukraine this month, which have even reached Moscow, disrupting flights at several international airports.
On Wednesday FM Lavrov announced that the next round of peace talks are set for June 2 in Istanbul – but will the warring sides even make it to the negotiating table? The jingoist war of words and threats are ramping up hotter than ever, with the Kremlin warning that further delays (on key conditions like territorial concessions) mean “peace tomorrow will be even more painful”.