Russia Ukraine crisis: Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Germany will allocate another package of assistance to Ukraine, worth 400 million euros, reported TASS citing German-based tabloid Bild Newspaper. Among other things, the package will include munitions.
Asked about another package of assistance being sent to Kyiv, Pistorius said, "Yes. We will supply additional munitions: high-explosive and mortar rounds, anti-mine rockets," TASS reported.
German minister further said, "Munitions are what Ukraine needs most of all."
He added that Germany will also Ukraine with defence vehicles and demining systems, according to TASS.
"Apart from that, we will help with defence vehicles and demining systems. We have also taken care about the coming winter: we will send clothes, power and heat generators. The package will be worth 400 million euros," he said.
Hinting at possible supplies of Taurus long-range cruise missiles, the minister said that the German government must "thoroughly weigh each batch of weapons supplies." However, Pistorius said it is not decided yet whether the federal government will supply Taurus cruise missiles or not.
"It is necessary to clarify a lot of political, legal, military, and technical aspects. This is quite difficult. It has not yet been decided whether the federal government will supply Taurus cruise missiles or not," he said.
Moreover, he said that another aspect of Taurus supplies that needs to be looked at is whether such missiles could be used without Bundeswehr soldiers, either on the ground or remotely from Germany, according to TASS. Earlier, in a video address to the Crimean Platform forum on August 23, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Germany has provided assistance of over 22 billion euros, from tens and generators to tanks and air defence systems.
She said that Berlin will keep its assistance to Ukraine "as long as it takes."
Notably, Germany is second behind the United States in supplying weapons to Ukraine. According to TASS, now, Kyiv has asked for Taurus longer-range missiles but Berlin is in no hurry to make a decision on that matter. However, Russia has raised its concerns about continuing weapons supplies to Ukraine more than once.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Maria Zakharova said Moscow will continue attracting the world community's attention, including within the UN Security Council, to the issue of Western weapons supplies to Ukraine. Earlier this week, extending immense support for Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday addressed a briefing with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and said that the objective is for Ukraine to succeed in regaining its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
After Blinken and Baerbock recently returned from Ukraine, the former said, "We were able to compare notes on our visits but also make clear that we are both deeply committed to continuing the strong support that we and dozens of other countries around the world have been providing to Ukraine- military, economic, humanitarian."
Bringing the Black Sea Grain Initiative into the discussion, Blinken said that both Germany and the US strongly urge a return to the initiative.
"Of course, both of us continue to strongly urge a return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which, when it was in force, enabled Ukraine to export well over 30 million tons of grain, enough for 18 billion loaves of bread," he added.
(With ANI inputs)
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