Pistorius made the announcement during a surprise visit to Kyiv on Monday, where he held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Mykhailo Fedorov and signed a new cooperation framework focused on high-tech weapons and unmanned systems. Speaking alongside Fedorov in the Ukrainian capital, Pistorius said the two countries were shifting from a traditional donor-recipient relationship toward a long-term strategic partnership centered on joint weapons development and battlefield innovation. “We are strategic partners. On the one hand, we continue to support you in your defensive struggle, but on the other, we are increasingly building a structured, long-term partnership to be reckoned with,” Pistorius said. He said the cooperation would focus on the joint development of “state-of-the-art unmanned systems across all ranges,” particularly deep-strike drones and other long-range capabilities. “In this way, we strengthen the security of our countries,” Pistorius said. Germany has become one of Ukraine’s key European military backers, providing weapons, air defense systems and substantial financial support as the country continues to fend off Russia’s invasion.