Germany to give Ukraine extra 1.9 billion euros in military aid
Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has announced his government's plan to give Ukraine an extra 1.9 billion euros (2.2 billion US dollars) in military aid this year.
"I can say that Germany began this year with plans to provide €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in support for Ukraine," Pistorius announced on Thursday in a press conference with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
"We have increased this to €7 billion ($8.1 billion) over the past few months," he added.
Based on the German minister's remarks, the money is intended to finance a German-backed production line for long-range weapons in Ukraine.
“We are deeply convinced that it is the duty of the Europeans to continue to support Ukraine,” Pistorius said.
The new aid package "hasn't been finalized yet, but it is being lined up," he said, adding that the funds would be available "in the coming weeks and months once the decision has been made in parliament."
Last month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed Berlin's plan to develop "long-range weapons systems" in Ukraine.
The German government has long been pressured by its Western allies to supply weapons that Ukrainian forces could use to hit targets deep within Russian territory.
The leadership in Ukraine has been eager to receive German-made Taurus missiles, which have a range of over 500 kilometers.
Merz had previously promised Ukraine to deliver Taurus to Ukraine, and is currently striving to gain the necessary support for the implementation of the plan within Germany's ruling establishment.
According to Merz, Germany is facing "strategic ambiguity" pertaining to the military aid plan, and fears an escalation of tensions with Russia.
Asked on Thursday whether Germany will send Taurus missiles to Ukraine or not, the German minister of defense said, "my answer is no."
The Western countries, including Germany, have been fueling the flames of the war with their unchecked delivery of weapons to Ukraine.
A recent study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) indicates that Ukraine has sustained nearly 400,000 casualties till now. It is estimated that between 60,000 and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died since February 2022, the CSIS reported.
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