The value of the arms package is 2,700 million euros. German Defense Minister reiterates his support for Kiev “as long as it takes”
The German government will receive the President of Ukraine tomorrow, Volodymyr Zelensky, with a new weapon pack value €2.7 billion, According to an announcement by the Ministry of Defense this Saturday, the aid includes Marauder infantry fighting vehicles, Leopard-1 battle tanks and Iris-T-SLM anti-aircraft defense systems, among others.
“With this valuable contribution of urgently needed military equipment, we show once again that Germany takes its support seriously,” said the Defense Minister. boris pistorius reiterating his government’s support for Kiev “as long as it takes.”
Since the start of the war, the German government has approved the delivery of 2.75 billion euros worth of arms to Ukraine, so the new package is meant to double the aid it has received so far.
According to the Defense Ministry, the new package of measures follows previous German support priorities. Among other things, it includes 18 wheeled howitzers, artillery ammunition, guided missiles for air defense systems, 4 IRIS-T SLM fire units for air defense and 12 IRIS-T SLS launchers. This will include 30 Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks and 20 Mardar infantry fighting vehicles, over 100 armored fighting vehicles and over 200 reconnaissance drones. “All this and more comes from industrial stocks or industrial production,” the ministry declared.
Overcoming an initial reluctance to supply arms to Ukraine, the Berlin government has become, along with the United Kingdom and the United States, the largest supplier of war materials to Kiev. So far, it has delivered 40 Merder infantry fighting vehicles as well as 34 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks with ammunition from Bundeswehr and industry stores, carrying about 6,000 rounds of anti-aircraft ammunition, two armored recovery Vehicles and two tanks from Vicente Demining are included.
in April, Germany It also provided Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine to improve defense against Russian air attacks. The Bundeswehr has also taken up the training of soldiers in a quick time. The Patriot (“Phased Array Tracking Radar for Target Interception”) is one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world. It can be used to deal with enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
By the end of March, Ukraine had already received 18 modernized Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks along with ammunition from Germany. On 25 January, after a long internal political struggle, the German government set a goal of “quickly assembling two tank battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine”. In Ukraine they are usually armed with 31 tanks each. Poland, Norway, Canada and Spain are the main countries involved in the initiative.
Zelensky’s visit to Germany, the first since the start of the war, has been confirmed, but details have been withheld for security reasons. So it remains to be known whether the President of Ukraine will set foot on German soil after his trip to Italy this Saturday, and whether there will be a meeting with the Chancellor olaf scholz It will take place in Berlin or the Equisgran.
Zelensky and the Ukrainian people will be honored in the Rhine city on Sunday afternoon Charlemagne Prize for his services to European unity. However, the presence of the President in the ceremony has not been confirmed. Scholz will give a speech even though he cannot be present. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, will also speak.
