Germany's government said on Saturday, May 13, that it would send Ukraine about $3 billion in new military supplies, including tanks, anti-aircraft equipment, and ammunition.
The declaration was made as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared for his visit in Germany for the first time since Russia's invasion of his nation last year.
Boris Pistorius, Ukraine's minister of defense, said Berlin intended to demonstrate that Germany is genuine in its support by sending the latest shipment of weapons to Kyiv. "Germany will provide all the help it can, as long as it takes," he stated, as reported by NBC News.
The visit is being seen in Berlin as evidence of a significant thawing in ties between Ukraine and Germany.
Ties Between Germany and Ukraine
Kyiv has long suspected Berlin of being too dependent on Russian energy and of supporting the Nord Stream gas pipelines that bypass Ukraine, both of which were championed by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Olaf Scholz, who took over after she resigned, agreed to cut off energy supplies from Russia following the invasion. Yet, Scholz was originally hesitant to provide Ukraine with deadly weaponry out of worry that Germany would be pulled into the fight.
Berlin was given the cold shoulder diplomatically by Kyiv since Washington, Warsaw, and London were more vocal in their support of Ukraine's defense operations.
As a result of Germany's generous financial help to Kyiv and its acceptance of more than a million Ukrainian migrants, Germany was understandably annoyed when German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was disinvited to visit Ukraine last year. Scholz ultimately traveled to Kyiv in June 2022 with President Emmanuel Macron of France and other world leaders.
Germany was initially slow to provide military aid to Ukraine, but it has since become one of the largest suppliers of arms to the country. Germany has given the go-ahead for the delivery of modern battle tanks like Leopard 1 and 2, as well as sophisticated anti-aircraft systems.
The new military aid package includes 30 Leopard 1 A5 tanks, 20 Marder armored personnel carriers, more than 100 combat vehicles, 18 Howitzers, 200 reconnaissance drones, four IRIS-T SLM anti-aircraft systems, and other air defense equipment.
After Ukrainian military leaders stated their soldiers regained further area from Russian forces near Bakhmut, the anticipation of a Kyiv counteroffensive grew.
Zelenskyy's Next Agenda
On Saturday, the Ukrainian president was scheduled to meet with Pope Francis and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
NBC News said Zelenskyy and Scholz will meet with other high-ranking officials in the chancellery before flying to Aachen in the West to accept the International Charlemagne Prize on behalf of Ukraine.
According to the event's organizers, the prize is recognition that the resistance to Russia's invasion is a defense "not just of the sovereignty of their country and the life of its citizens, but also of Europe and European values."
