Before the Ramstein Group meeting, Germany promised further arms deliveries to Ukraine. This is primarily about anti-aircraft defense. Tanks and ammunition that have already been promised will also be delivered in the coming weeks.
The federal government wants to help Ukraine militarily over the coming winter with a comprehensive delivery of anti-aircraft systems, tanks and ammunition. The Defense Ministry announced that the second “Patriot” air defense system, which was promised last week, will include, in addition to the fire control center and the radar device, eight additional launchers and more than 60 guided missiles.
In addition, Germany will deliver further Iris-T systems in October: a third Iris-T SLM with medium-range guided missiles and a second short-range Iris-T SLS, also with guided missiles. There are also three more anti-aircraft gun tanks of the “Cheetah” type. The entire defense package is worth around one billion euros.
Additional support worth 20 million euros
Germany is also putting together a support package for the Ukrainian special forces, consisting of vehicles, weapons and personal equipment worth more than 20 million euros. In addition, additional 155 mm ammunition is incoming. In the next few weeks, another ten “Leopard 1A5” main battle tanks, 15 protected transport vehicles and almost 20 protected medical vehicles will also arrive in Ukraine.
“Germany will continue to support Ukraine in the future with what it needs most – with air defense, ammunition and tanks,” said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). This will further increase the operational readiness of the Ukrainian armed forces in the coming months.
The defense ministers of the 31 NATO countries are meeting in Brussels this Wednesday for a two-day meeting. Shortly before the start of the NATO meeting, the USA organizes consultations of the so-called Ukraine contact group. Weapons deliveries to the country attacked by Russia are coordinated through them.