Ukraine Will Receive €2.7 Billion In Military Aid From Germany

Germany announced today a significant fresh shipment of military supplies to Ukraine. This increases its commitment following months of stress on Olaf Scholz, its chancellor, to expedite the delivery of critical fighting weapons.

The German government announced on Saturday that it was drafting a fresh €2.7 billion military assistance package for Ukraine. It would include the transfer of several tanks, armor, and air defense equipment.

“We all want Russia’s atrocious war against the Ukrainian people to end as soon as possible,” Boris Pistorius stated in a press release. Germany will offer all possible assistance for as long as it is required.

30 extra Leopard-1 A5 containers, and 20 fresh Marder armored vehicles, alongside more than 100 additional smaller armored vehicles will be delivered. In addition to 200 monitoring drones, four fresh Iris-T air defense technologies and their launch systems, numerous air defense missiles, 18 Howitzer guns, and weapons will also be given.

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhalo Podoliak praised the announcement. He said that it directly suggests that the conflict will be put to an appropriate conclusion.

The Russian Federation will undoubtedly lose and lie on a pedestal of historical humiliation. The Russian Federation hardly frightens anybody and just supplying arms to Ukraine would enable harmony to be restored to predictable and stable progress.

Western countries have recently enraged Moscow by declaring more military help to Ukraine while the country prepares for a counteroffensive versus Russian forces. When the United Kingdom announced plans to equip Ukraine with some long-range Storm Shadow ballistic missiles, the Kremlin branded it an “extremely hostile” move.

It accused London of pursuing a “serious aggravation” of the crisis. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is at present in Rome for talks with Italian authorities as well as Pope Francis, who is launching a diplomatic campaign to reach a peace agreement.

According to media sources, Zelenskyy is going to Berlin on Sunday to accept the European Charlemagne Award. Germany provided Ukraine with €2 billion in military assistance last year and has set aside €2.2 billion for the coming year, although details are still being finalized.

The fresh German military aid plan comes as Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko arrives in Rome for discussions with political leaders, possibly resulting in a trip to Berlin. Germany was initially hesitant to deploy heavy weapons to Ukraine to assist it in confronting Russia’s invasion.

They believed that it might worsen the conflict. However, Berlin agreed to deliver its Leopard tanks in January and stated that it could collaborate with allies to provide more.

According to the organizers, the prize honors their resistance to Russia’s invasion as a defense “not only of their country’s sovereignty and the lives of its residents but additionally of Europe and its values.” Mr. Zelenskyy‘s most recent visit to Berlin was in July 2021.

He also visited the Security Conference in Munich in February of the following year, just days ahead Russia launched a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. Last week, Berlin police acknowledged they were preparing for Mr. Zelenskyy’s likely visit and have set a security cordon over most of the capital’s administrative sector.

Italy has given arms and assistance to Kyiv, but it has never specified what it has provided.
Giorgia Meloni, who toured Kyiv in February, stated on Saturday.

Zelenskyy is confident that Ukraine will triumph and be reborn stronger, prouder, and far more prosperous than before.” He met Meloni for 70 minutes.

She pledged Italy’s full backing for Kyiv amid a history of strong connections with Moscow throughout her nation, and amongst her coalition allies.

In a collaborative press conference, Zelenskyy praised Meloni “for helping to save lives” while detailing what he called Russia’s “new aggressions.” “I have not arrived to complain; I have arrived to discuss our collaboration along with to thank you again for your assistance, for the betterment of our children.”

Pope Francis has frequently advocated for reconciliation in Ukraine and attempted to mediate, but his initiatives have yet to bear fruit. He has encountered condemnation for failing to blame Russia for the conflict.

Without mentioning Russia, the Vatican said the Pope and Zelenskyy talked about “the humanitarian and political circumstances in Ukraine resulting from the continuing war” and the need for “human acts towards the most vulnerable people.” “I am extremely thankful to him for putting his devotion to the suffering of countless Ukrainians,” the president said after meeting with the Pope on Telegram.

After meeting with Giorgia Meloni, the Ukrainian president shared 40 minutes of talking to the 86-year-old pope at the Vatican. Zelenskyy was flown from Rome to Berlin by a German Luftwaffe plane.

In a tweet, Zelenskyy verified that he arrived in Germany early Sunday, his initial trip since Russia began its invasion last year. “Already in Berlin,” Zelenskyy tweeted. “Weapons. This is a strong package. Defense of the air. Reconstruction. EU, NATO, and security.”

Germany’s backing appears as Ukrainian military leaders claim their troops have retaken important ground from Russian forces close to the annihilated eastern town of Bakhmut. It has grown into a symbol of the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow, where the two sides have battled for months in filthy urban warfare.

Kyiv has long been skeptical of Germany’s reliance on Russian energy, as well as its backing of the Nord Stream gas lines, which were championed by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel. In Berlin, Zelenskyy’s weekend visit is seen as evidence that ties between Ukraine and Germany are improving significantly following a rough patch.

Russia’s Defence Ministry announced on Sunday two of its military officers died in eastern Ukraine. Kyiv’s forces redoubled their efforts to breach Russian defenses in the besieged city of Bakhmut.

The front-line towns of Bakhmut as well as Maryinka “remain at the center of hostilities,” according to a daily morning statement from Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Russian forces conducted air strikes, missile, drone, and heavy rocket launches against Ukrainian locations in the last 24 hours, it added.

The Ukrainian air forces also recorded 17 strikes over regions containing Russian people and military equipment. France announced it will be sending numerous armored vehicles including light tanks to Ukraine in a few weeks.

This will include the AMX-10RCs battle vehicles. It made the statement following a business dinner in Paris with Macron and Zelenskyy. Elisabeth Borne met him as he walked off the jet at the Villacoublay air base southwest of Paris, ahead of a dinner with Emmanuel Macron.

During a visit to Berlin on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Kyiv and its Western supporters could render a Russian defeat in Ukraine “irreversible” as early as this year, and hailed Germany for being a “true friend.”

Ukraine’s air force claims to have destroyed 25 Russian drones including three cruise missiles fired overnight. Russian shelling on Ukraine-held territory across the eastern area of Donetsk has killed six people and injured 16, according to local officials.

The Russian artillery bombardment targeting the southern region of Kherson on Sunday killed one person. According to Moscow-installed officials, wireless connectivity is temporarily banned in Russian-seized regions of eastern Luhansk due to increasing shelling by Ukrainian soldiers.

Russia alleges Ukraine of frequently attacking targets within Russia, including a suspected drone attack earlier this month on Moscow’s Kremlin. Ukraine denies the allegations while emphasizing that it has the legal right to use force alongside other methods to de-occupy the territory now under Russian control.

These comprise four southern and eastern regions, along with the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. According to the UK government, Zelenskyy came to the country for discussions with Rishi Sunak on Monday.

Proofread & Published By Naveenika Chauhan