Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on Monday that his government will remove all restrictions on the range of weapons it supplies to Ukraine. This means that all of Kyiv’s major Western allies—including Britain, France, the United States, and now Germany—have eased limitations on the use of their weapons inside Russian territory to counter Moscow’s offensive.

Merz stated during a Berlin press conference, “There are no longer any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine, neither by the British nor by the French nor by us nor by the Americans.” He added that Ukraine can now defend itself by striking military targets within Russia, something it had largely refrained from doing until recently.

This decision marks a shift from the stance of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who had not approved the use of long-range Taurus missiles, which have a range exceeding 500 kilometers (310 miles). These exceed the range of the U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the weaponry provided by Britain and France.

In November, Washington lifted its own restrictions, allowing Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia with U.S.-made weapons, leaving Germany as the last major ally to maintain such limits. Germany is the second-largest military aid supplier to Ukraine after the U.S., but it does not publicly disclose specific weapons systems due to a policy of “strategic ambiguity.” Consequently, Merz did not directly mention Taurus missiles in his remarks, which came shortly after the Kremlin launched the largest air raid since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported late Monday that over the past three days, Russian forces had launched more than 900 drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles across Ukraine. The bombardment continued on Tuesday, killing two civilians and injuring dozens more, according to Ukrainian officials.

“Russian strikes are becoming increasingly brazen and large-scale every night,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

With uncertainty surrounding U.S. security guarantees and intensified Russian attacks, European leaders have stepped up efforts to support Ukraine. Newly elected Chancellor Merz affirmed on X that Germany would “do everything in our power to continue supporting Ukraine.”

In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Zelenskyy of attempting to blame Russia for prolonging the conflict, stating, “Those who want peace do not ask for more weapons.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed this sentiment on Tuesday, claiming that Europe was “indirectly participating” in the war by supplying arms to Ukraine and that such actions hinder peaceful resolution.

Peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv remain stalled since last week’s brief, amicable but unproductive phone call between Presidents Trump and Putin. Trump announced soon after that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations towards a ceasefire.” Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it was drafting a memorandum outlining Moscow’s peace demands, which, if consistent with previous rejected proposals, would effectively require Kyiv’s surrender.

Last week also saw the largest prisoner exchange of the conflict, with nearly 800 captives expected to be released from both sides. However, a 2024 United Nations report found that 95% of released Ukrainian prisoners of war had been systematically tortured in Russian prisons.

Despite this, Russia’s bombardment continues unabated, and efforts by the White House to end the war persist—though Trump, who once claimed he could end the conflict in a day, appeared frustrated with Putin’s actions. On Sunday, Trump called the Russian leader “crazy” in an X post, prompting the Kremlin to dismiss the remarks on Monday as “emotional overload.”