On Wednesday, Germany committed over US$2 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, as the government in Kyiv indicated it would require $120 billion in 2026 to counter Russia’s ongoing nearly four-year war.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that Germany would buy $500 million worth of U.S. weapons for Ukraine under a new program to fast-track military equipment. Estonia, Finland, Lithuania and Sweden said that they would also participate in the funding initiative, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
Pistorius said that Germany’s “package addresses a number of urgent requirements of Ukraine. It provides air defense systems, Patriot (missile) interceptors, radar systems and precision guided artillery, rockets and ammunition.”
He said that Germany would separately provide “another two Iris-T air defence systems, including a large number of guided missiles, as well as shoulder-fired air defence missiles.” Anti-tank weapons, communication devices and hand-held weapons would also be delivered.