Ukraine thanks Germany for new €3 billion in military aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy on Friday thanked Germany for the latest multibillion-euro aid package to help Kiev keep up the fight against Russia.
Germany is providing "exactly what Ukraine needs most" to save lives in Ukraine, he wrote in a message published on social media.
He expressed his thanks to Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his likely successor Friedrich Merz. "Thank you, Germany," Zelensky wrote in German.
"Additional military assistance will help to strengthen our capabilities in air defense, artillery, drones, armored vehicles, demining equipment, and other areas," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on platform X.
"We are grateful to Germany for its strategic investment in fair and long-term peace and security in Ukraine and throughout Europe," he wrote.
German weapons have already saved thousands of lives in Ukraine, he wrote in his posting, adding: "They will save even more in the current and coming years."
The Bundestag's budget committee had earlier approved a package that includes an additional €3 billion ($3.26 billion) for this year and up to €8.3 billion for 2026 to 2029.
Germany's Ministry of Defence says additional weapons are to be delivered to Ukraine this year. A spokesperson mentioned the air defence system Iris-T, guided missiles, surveillance radars, drones, combat vehicles and small arms.
Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said Germany has provided more than €44 billion in aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Putin and Trump discussed Middle East tensions, Ukraine war in phone call
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a lengthy call Saturday to discuss the escalating situation in the Middle East and Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump in a posting on his Truth Social platform said they spent the bulk of their conversation focused on Israel's ongoing blistering attacks aimed at decapitating Iran's nuclear program and Iran's retaliatory strikes. But Trump said that he also pressed Putin to end Russia's war in Ukraine. 'He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end,' said Trump, who added the conversation went about an hour. Putin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin briefed Trump on his recent talks with the leaders of Iran and Israel and reiterated Russia's proposal to seek mutually acceptable solutions on the Iranian nuclear issue. 'Vladimir Putin, having condemned the military operation against Iran, expressed serious concern about the possible escalation of the conflict,' Ushakov told reporters. He added that Putin raised concerns that escalating conflict between Israel and Iran threatened 'unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East.' Putin also emphasized Russia's readiness to carry out possible mediation efforts, and noted that Russia had proposed steps 'aimed at finding mutually acceptable agreements' during U.S.-Iran negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program. The Russia-Iran relationship has deepened since Putin launched a war on Ukraine in February 2022, with Tehran providing Moscow with drones, ballistic missiles, and other support, according to U.S. intelligence findings. 'Russia's principled approach and interest in the settlement remain unchanged,' Ushakov said. Trump described the regional situation as 'very alarming,' Ushakov said, but acknowledged the 'effectiveness' of Israel's strikes on targets in Iran. The leaders did not rule out a possible return to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program, according to Ushakov. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff had been set to travel on Sunday to Oman for a sixth round of talks with Iranian officials aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear program — a meeting that was set before Israel launched strikes on Friday. But Oman's foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, said on Saturday that the meeting would not take place as planned. Putin and Trump also discussed the ongoing exchange of war prisoners between Russia and Ukraine. The two sides traded more prisoners on Saturday under an arrangement brokered during talks between the two sides in Istanbul earlier this month. 'Our president noted that an exchange of prisoners of war is taking place, including seriously wounded and prisoners of war under 25 years of age,' Ushakov said, along with expressing readiness to continue negotiations with the Ukrainians. Trump said Putin also wished him 'a Happy Birthday.' The U.S. leader turned 79 on Saturday.
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
Putin speaks to Trump, condemns Israel's strikes on Iran, Kremlin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump for 50 minutes on Saturday, focusing on hostilities between Israel and Iran and calling for efforts to bring them to an end. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin condemned the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressed concern about the risks of escalation. Trump, in his account on Truth Social, said most of the discussion centered on the Middle East, but that he also told Putin that Russia's war in Ukraine should end. "Vladimir Putin condemned Israel's military operation against Iran and expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East," Ushakov told reporters. Ushakov said Trump described events in the Middle East as "very alarming". But the two leaders said they do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran's nuclear programme, Ushakov said. Ushakov said U.S. negotiators were ready to hold further talks with Iranian representatives, with Oman as mediator. The latest round, scheduled for Sunday in Oman, has been cancelled. The Kremlin aide said Putin told Trump that Russia stood by proposals to ease tension and resolve issues concerning Iran's nuclear programme. "The Russian president recalled that prior to the current rise in tension our side had proposed concrete steps intended to find mutually acceptable agreements during talks between U.S. and Iranian representatives about the Iranian nuclear program," Ushakov said. "Russia's principled approach and interest in a resolution is unchanged and, as Vladimir Putin noted, we will continue to act based on this." Trump's account of the conversation included what amounted to his first explicit appeal for the hostilities to end. "The call lasted approximately 1 hour," Trump wrote. "He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end." Trump said he and Putin mostly discussed the Middle East and spent "much less time" talking about the war in Ukraine. Trump hinted at follow-up discussions on the war in Ukraine in the coming week. On Ukraine, Ushakov said Putin told the U.S. leader that Russia was ready to continue negotiations with the Ukrainians after June 22, according to state news agency RIA. Ushakov also said that the presidents expressed satisfaction "at their personal relations which have allowed for them to speak in a business-like manner to seek solutions to issues that are bilateral or on the international agenda, however complex those issues might be". Putin also congratulated Trump on his 79th birthday.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Trump says Putin called to wish him a happy birthday ‒ and talk about Iran
Trump says Putin called to wish him a happy birthday ‒ and talk about Iran Trump, who turns 79 on June 14, said: 'President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran.' Show Caption Hide Caption 'No Kings Day' rallies counter Trump's Flag Day military parade In all 50 states, grassroots groups are organizing "No Kings Day" rallies to oppose Donald Trump's military parade, set to take place on his birthday. WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin called to wish him a happy birthday and talk about the war between Israel and Iran, which Trump said "should end." Trump relayed his morning phone call with Putin in a June 14 post on Truth Social. The conversation occurred before Trump is set to mark his 79th birthday in the evening by attending a military parade on the streets of Washington D.C. to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. "President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran, a country he knows very well. We talked at length," Trump said in the post. More: 'They didn't die of the flu': Trump says Iran nuke deal 'hardliners' killed in strikes Trump said Putin "feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end." Nevertheless, Trump said he and Putin spent "much less time" talking about Russia's war in Ukraine during the approximately one-hour call. He said that topic "will be for next week." Trump has embraced a friendly relationship with Putin, a stark departure from former President Joe Biden who helped rally much of the world to condemn the Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Trump has blamed both Putin, long considered a U.S. adversary, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for their countries' war. More: Iran launches missile counterattack on Israel after punishing airstrikes In response to Israel's June 13 airstrikes on Iran targeting nuclear sites, Iran launched three retaliatory waves of missiles at targets in Israel as Israelis rode out the attacks in bomb shelters and world leaders discussed the deepening conflict. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed the call between the world leaders, telling reporters, "Vladimir Putin condemned Israel's military operation against Iran and expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East." According to Ushakov, Trump described events in the Middle East as "very alarming." The two leaders also said they do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran's nuclear program, Ushakov said. Trump told Reuters on June 13 his administration knew about Israel's plans to attack Iran beforehand. He said he gave Iran a 60-day deadline to agree to a revised nuclear deal with the U.S. After a deal was not reached, Israel attacked on the 61st day. "We knew everything, and I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out," Trump said. "They can still work out a deal, however, it's not too late." Contributing: Reuters Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
