Group 1 - Germany's Chancellor Merz announced financial support for Ukraine to produce long-range weapons, marking the beginning of a "new type of military industrial cooperation" between Germany and Ukraine, which is seen to have significant potential [3][4] - A deal worth approximately $5.7 billion has been confirmed, with Germany supporting Ukraine in the production of long-range missiles that can strike military targets within Russia [3][4] - The "Taurus" cruise missile, which has a range of 500 kilometers, is a focal point of this cooperation, although Merz has not explicitly confirmed whether these missiles will be provided to Ukraine [3][4] Group 2 - Russia has strongly criticized Germany's latest moves, with officials claiming that Germany is directly involved in the military conflict and warning of severe consequences if German weapons are used against Russian territory [4][5] - The Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed concerns that Germany is repeating historical mistakes that led to past collapses, urging responsible political action to avoid escalating tensions [4][5] - There are indications of a potential rift within the German government regarding the support for Ukraine, as the Finance Minister denied any policy changes despite Merz's strong statements [3][5] Group 3 - The U.S. media has noted a shift in Germany's foreign policy under Merz, suggesting a stronger stance compared to his predecessor, with the potential for Germany to play a more significant role in European security [5][6] - Some analysts view Merz's statements regarding long-range missiles as more of a media strategy rather than a concrete plan, indicating that European nations have not gained significant geopolitical influence from military aid to Ukraine [6][7] - The upcoming second round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is set for June 2, with both sides preparing to discuss a peace agreement, although there are concerns about the sincerity and content of the proposals [7][8]