tagesschau 20:00 Uhr, 11.05.2026

Germany's defense minister visited Kyiv to advance joint drone development with Ukraine, amid energy supply strains from a Russian pipeline halt and ongoing coalition talks on relief measures. The broadcast also covered EU sanctions progress, domestic social issues, and lighter updates like a cruise ship virus scare and subdued World Cup excitement.

Defense Cooperation with Ukraine on Drones

Bundesverteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius met his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv to initiate collaborative development and frontline testing of advanced drones by German and Ukrainian companies. Experts emphasize that future warfare hinges on destroying targets deep in enemy territory, up to 1,200 kilometers away, as Ukrainian drones have demonstrated by striking Russian cities. Germany and NATO lag in such long-range systems, while Ukraine leads with rapid innovation cycles—now down to weeks—and diverse applications, including sea drones and unmanned ground vehicles. These provide advantages like positioning without risking soldiers. Pistorius stressed that Ukraine's frontline experience offers valuable lessons for the Bundeswehr, shifting from one-sided aid to mutual benefit in preparing for modern, automated combat.