Germany says security guarantees key to lasting peace in Ukraine

Germany said on Monday that a lasting peaceful solution to the Russia-Ukraine war will depend largely on security guarantees for Kyiv.

"It is a question of territory and security. The issue of security in particular will ultimately determine whether this war actually comes to a standstill and whether it flares up again or whether a flare-up can be deterred and prevented," government spokesman Stefan Kornelius told journalists in Berlin.

"Core European interests are at stake" which, if they are to be pursued, need to be properly underpinned, Kornelius added.

He said that US negotiators had also been invited to a meeting of European heads of government and state in Berlin later in the evening as part of the ongoing Ukraine talks.

He stressed that it was important to discuss the details, while adding that the visit of many heads of government and heads of state underlined the unity of the Europeans.

Kornelius said his country is an honest broker in these negotiations, in which, according to him, Ukraine also has to make very difficult decisions. He then went on to say: "We stand by Ukraine."

He also commented on a question about whether Germany itself should enter into new talks with Russia.

The federal government is constantly reconsidering how sensible it would be to hold talks directly with Russia, but "at this point in time, there are no concrete considerations," Kornelius added.

UKRAINE TO BUILD COMBAT DRONES IN GERMANY

Meanwhile, Ukraine is having combat drones it developed itself built in industrial quantities in Germany. Production is being carried out on behalf of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian drone manufacturer Frontline Robotics, and German defense company Quantum Systems announced at the German-Ukrainian Economic Forum in Berlin.

Matthias Lehna, head of the joint venture Quantum Frontline Industries, spoke of tens of thousands of drones being built each year, with a volume in the hundreds of millions. The battlefield-proven Linsa logistics drone, the Zoom reconnaissance drone, the Buria remote-controlled machine gun, and grenade launcher point are to be produced, he said.

The cooperation is part of the Ukrainian government's Build with Ukraine initiative. Kyiv is attempting to attract Western arms manufacturers to the country. At the same time, part of Ukraine's arms production is to be relocated to safe European countries.