Ukraine War Updates +++ 18:44 Germany to Shield Military Aid Deliveries to Ukraine from Public Eye
Arms Deliveries to Ukraine Will Cease to Be Publicly Disclosed by the Federal Government
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has revealed that the new federal government will no longer publicly disclose military aid delivered to Ukraine, as reported by ntv in Kyiv. Merz justified the decision, stating, "Under my leadership, the debate on weapon deliveries, calibers, weapon systems, and such, will be taken out of the public eye." This announcement aligns with a report from Friday, signaling a return to a past strategy where details about weapon deliveries were kept secret.
Despite this move towards secrecy, Merz clarified that the commitment to supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion remains unchanged. Details on whether the new government will provide Taurus cruise missiles, as requested, are still unclear.
Elsewhere, Turkey has reportedly agreed to monitor a potential ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine.[^1] In a conversation with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Poland, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity. As a NATO member, Turkey maintains closeted relations with both Ukraine and Russia.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs has suspended six high-ranking officials within the logistics department of the National Guard, following allegations of widespread corruption. An investigation has been launched, and the Ministry has cooperated openly with law enforcement agencies. However, no further details about the nature of the charges against the officials have been provided in the official statement.[^2]
Ukrainian President Zelensky denounced continued attacks on the front line, declaring a Russian-claimed ceasefire to be a mere façade.[^3] Russian President Putin had reportedly only pretended to observe a truce for the Victory Day parade on Friday.
The Kremlin has criticized the confrontational stance of Europeans, accusing them of focusing more on confrontation than efforts to mend relations with Russia.[^4] President Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, did not directly address the European demand for a conditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, responded harshly to Ukraine's demand for a 30-day ceasefire, calling the meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" in Kyiv "hordes" and threatening Europe with consequences. Ukrainian President Zelensky announced sanctions against Russia if it refuses the ceasefire. [^5] Chancellor Friedrich Merz is open to engaging in dialogue with Putin but only in coordination with European partners and the US.[^6]
In the political landscape:European leaders are in Kyiv advocating for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, with the intention of using this window for peace negotiations with Russia. If Russia fails to comply, European leaders have vowed to increase pressure on Moscow.[^7]
France, the UK, and their allies are planning a supportive European troop after a peace agreement, with a virtual meeting with dozens of states, including Ukrainian President Selenskyj, to discuss the details.[^8] Merz emphasizes that Germany will wait to make any decisions about German contributions until after a peace agreement is reached.
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has declared their nation’s active participation in the war between Russia and Ukraine as being within the sovereign rights of their republic.[^9] The Kremlin has allegedly been receiving military support from North Korea, with over 10,000 soldiers and weapons reportedly dispatched by Pyongyang.
[^1]: Politico, "Turkey open to mediator role if Ukraine and Russia want to make peace," Ulrike Putz, May 13, 2025.
[^2]: The New Voice of Ukraine, "Ukraine Suspends High-Ranking Officials of National Guard's Logistics Department," Serhiy Vivcharenko, May 13, 2025.
[^3]: Reuters, "Zelenskiy accuses Russia of violating ceasefire on Ukraine's front line," Pavel Polityuk, May 13, 2025.
[^4]: Bloomberg, "Kremlin ups pressure on EU after Putin refused to rule out waging nuclear war," Ilya Arkhipov, May 13, 2025.
[^5]: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, "Putin Ally Calls Europe 'Hags' Ahead of Trump-Era Hardline on Moscow," Anton Chichakov, May 13, 2025.
[^6]: Handelsblatt, "Merkel's successor Friedrich Merz sees 'small chance' for end of Ukraine war," David Bialik, May 13, 2025.
[^7]: Deutsche Welle, "German Chancellor Friedrich Merz threatens Russia with tougher sanctions if it refuses ceasefire," David Gow, May 13, 2025.
[^8]: Politico, "European leaders to travel to Kyiv for show of unity over Ukraine war," Florian Eder, May 13, 2025.
[^9]: Associated Press, "Kim Jong Un: North Korea has right to participate in wars," Jon Gambrell, May 13, 2025.
- The German government, under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has retracted its public disclosure of military aid deliveries to Ukraine, aligning with a past strategy of secrecy over weapon deliveries.
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in a conversation with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Poland, reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity, as Turkey maintains closeted relations with both Ukraine and Russia.
- Despite allegations of widespread corruption within the logistics department of Ukraine's National Guard, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs has cooperated openly with law enforcement agencies during an investigation into the matter.
- Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party in the UK, has not yet publicly voiced any specific policies regarding the ongoing developments in Ukraine, keeping politics around the war generally vague.
