Germany to supply Patriot missiles, IRIS-T systems, EUR 300M for long-range drones to Ukraine – Pistorius
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said that Germany will increase its support for Ukraine's air defense and its capability to conduct long-range strikes, including allocating EUR 300 million for long-range drones.
He stated this at the opening of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting held at the level of defense ministers of NATO member states, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
Pistorius stressed that Germany would deliver several hundred Patriot Gen P guided missiles for air defense as part of the Immediate Action on Air Defense initiative, and also mentioned additional IRIS-T air defense launchers, without specifying their number.
Pistorius added that Germany was strengthening Ukraine's ability to carry out strategic long-range attacks, including through a German-Ukrainian armaments cooperation framework and another joint venture focused on the development and production of medium- and long-range drones.
He noted that EUR 300 million would be provided to support the procurement of Ukrainian-made long-range drones.
According to him, these measures were aimed at supporting Ukraine's defense strategy and would help sustain and increase the momentum of Ukraine's Defense Forces.
He stressed that Ukraine would be able to continue its defensive struggle only with collective support, adding that its success depended on all partners.
Pistorius also noted that Ukraine had endured its harshest winter since the start of the full-scale invasion, as Russia attempted to break its resistance through massive and systematic strikes, particularly targeting energy infrastructure. He said that the resilience of Ukrainian forces in repelling these attacks and the endurance of the Ukrainian people were remarkable.
He added that Ukraine was emerging from the winter stronger than before, which was also evident on the battlefield, where recent Russian ground offensives had been successfully repelled. He said these achievements were the result of the professionalism and bravery of Ukrainian troops, as well as the country's strong innovation capacity, noting that Ukraine was making significant progress in developing new defense technologies that were increasingly in global demand.
Pistorius stressed that Ukraine could rely on collective assistance to withstand Russian attacks in the spring and summer and would need continued support to prepare for the next winter.
The 34th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is being held in Berlin in a hybrid format, with defense ministers from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, as well as Mark Rutte, attending in person, while other participants joined online.
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