Ahead of the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Rammstein format, Germany's Defense Ministry announced a new "winter package" of military assistance for Ukraine worth around €1 billion.
The package includes additional air defense systems, with more Patriot and IRIS-T units, the ministry stated. Delivery timelines were not specified.
The aid also contains ten more Leopard 1A5 tanks, three more Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, 20 medical evacuation vehicles, and 15 armored cars arriving in Ukraine "in the next few weeks," the statement outlined.
“With this new ‘winter package,’ we are further increasing the operational readiness of the Ukrainian armed forces in the coming months,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
The ministry added that Ukraine will receive previously promised IRIS-T SLM and IRIS-T SLS air defense systems in October.
Additionally, a €20 million support package will equip Ukraine's special forces with vehicles, weapons, and gear to "make them more combat-ready," the ministry noted.
Germany emphasizes it is the largest military aid donor to Ukraine in Europe and the second-largest worldwide after the US. Also, Germany aims to train 10,000 Ukrainian troops by the end of 2023.
On 18 September, Pistorius announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth 400 million euros, which includes explosive ammunition, mortar ammunition, rockets, armored vehicles, and demining equipment.
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