Ukraine's ex-ambassador to Germany appealed to Merz

Melnyk believes that the future coalition of the Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union, and the Social Democratic Party of Germany should approve "the transfer to Ukraine of 30 percent of the German fighter jets and helicopters that are at its disposal from the Air Force reserves."

The diplomat proposes to extend the principle of transferring one-third of the equipment to other types of Bundeswehr weapons. Melnyk called for sending one hundred German Leopard-2 tanks, 115 Puma infantry fighting vehicles, 130 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, 130 GTK Boxer armored vehicles, 300 Fuchs armored personnel carriers, and 20 MARS-II MLRS to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Merz had previously stated that the new government under his leadership could begin work on May 6. Melnik urged him to "announce the immediate delivery of 150 Taurus cruise missiles" that same day in the Bundestag and "immediately implement this decision."

The Ukrainian diplomat offered Merz several more steps to help Kyiv:

• to legislate the allocation of 0.5 percent of Germany's GDP for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, i.e. 86 billion euros by 2029;

• adopt the same decision at the EU and G7 level (aid of 550 billion euros over four years);

• to confiscate frozen assets of the Russian Federation worth 200 billion euros;

• provide Kyiv with security guarantees and guarantee its accession to NATO and the EU.

In his address to Merz, the diplomat admitted that his demands might be met with resistance among members of the CDU/CSU and the SPD, and admitted that he "has no illusions." However, he recalled Easter, stated that "one can hope for a miracle" in these days, and quoted the biblical prophet Joel: "Beat your plowshares into swords and your sickles into spears."