Germany will supply Ukraine with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 anti-aircraft Stinger missiles, a government spokesman announced on Saturday.
The government took this decision on Saturday, and the weapons from the German army’s stocks will be delivered to Ukraine as soon as possible, spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russia’s military assault on Ukraine has been “a turning point” for Europe, threatening the international order established after World War II.
“In this situation, it is our duty to do our best to help Ukraine defend itself against Vladimir Putin’s invading army. Germany stands side by side with Ukraine,” he said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Berlin also approved the Netherlands’ request to send 50 German-made anti-tank weapons and 400 rockets to Ukraine.
A spokesman confirmed that the government also approved Estonia’s request to transfer nine D30 howitzers to the Ukrainian army.
The recent decisions marked a dramatic shift in the government’s policy, and came after growing criticism from Ukraine and Germany’s NATO allies.
Until Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, Berlin ruled out supplying arms to Kyiv, and also turned down requests from allies to send their German-made weapons to the country.
On the third day of Russia’s assault, street clashes between Russian and Ukrainian troops continued in the outskirts of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.
The capital is under a curfew, which will now run from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. every day “for more effective defense of the capital and security of its people,” Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said on Twitter.
He warned that people outside during these hours will be considered “members of sabotage and reconnaissance groups.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military attack on Thursday, days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine as independent states.
He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy its neighbor, but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to defend his country, West announced sanctions on Moscow, including measures targeting Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
SOURCE: The Guardian & AA
