Pistorius on the transfer of a new aid package to Ukraine: we are working on it

Germany has prepared everything for handing over a new aid package to Ukraine, but the government’s fiscal problem regarding the budget still needs to be resolved, Berlin is working on it, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said during a visit to Kyiv.

“As for the three billion package, we are doing everything to do it. But the negotiations within the government have not yet been completed, because it is a matter of money, which is not available. This is simply a fiscal problem of the government regarding the budget that we have to solve. We are trying to solve it. We are working on it,” Pistorius said before the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Kyiv.

At the same time, the German minister noted that he is optimistic about the provision of a new aid package to Ukraine, as “other democratic parties that may enter the new government have shown their willingness to move in this direction.”

Pistorius also emphasized that regardless of which government comes to power after February 23, Germany’s support for Ukraine will remain “reliable, strong and determined.”

Read also – Zelensky: Germany’s contribution to aid to Ukraine is about 16%

Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he opposes increasing arms supplies to Ukraine “if this would require a reduction in funding of other budget items.”

Today, the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, citing documents from the Ministry of Defense, reported that the planned assistance includes three Iris-T SLS/SLM air defense systems, guided missiles for them and for the Patriot air defense system, three Skyranger air defense systems, 30,000 artillery ammunition, 20 armored vehicles , 10 howitzers and 50 million euros for the purchase of drones.

According to the publication, the chancellor’s administration believes that assistance to Ukraine is currently being carried out according to plan. Kyiv can also buy weapons itself from an aid package worth 50 billion euros previously provided by Western partners. The following aid packages are to be discussed by the German government, which will come to power after the elections on February 23.

In December of last year, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal reported that Germany’s total aid to Ukraine amounted to 37 billion euros. This is the largest among all European countries.