German defence minister: Working on replacing US aid for Ukraine
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Thursday assured his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov that Berlin would work towards replacing frozen US aid for Kiev together with international partners.
It comes as EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss ways to increase support for Ukraine after the administration of US President Donald Trump announced it was suspending critical military and intelligence support as relations remain strained following a blow-up between the countries' two leaders at the White House.
Pistorius, who met Umerov in the German capital, also said his Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the conservatives are discussing a €3 billion ($3.25 billion) aid package for Ukraine as part of exploratory talks to form a government.
Should they be able to agree on funding, the package, which was proposed a while ago, should enable the delivery of further air-defence systems using guided missiles, Pistorius said.
Germany would also be able to provide additional artillery systems, namely the Panzerhaubitze 2000 armoured howitzer and the new wheeled, self-propelled howitzer RCH 155, said the minister, who continues to serve in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed.
Pistorius said Germany and Britain were planning to take a leading role when it comes to supporting Ukraine.
He said he and his British counterpart John Healey had decided to "continue the Ukraine Contact Group together as co-leaders," adding that the situation was "serious and requires decisive and level-headed action."
The Ukraine Contact Group is an international forum aimed at coordinating military aid to Ukraine. It was founded following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 upon the initiative of then US defence secretary Lloyd Austin.
Umerov thanked Germany for its support.
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