Germany to boost defence aid to Ukraine

Germany is looking to increase military aid to Ukraine to more than 15 billion euros in "the coming years".

The funding will go to procuring air defence, armoured fighting vehicles, ammunition for weapons systems supplied by Germany, and artillery, Caliber.Az reports, citing der Spiegel.

At the request of the German government, the Bundestag (parliament) budget committee is due to vote on a significant increase in arms aid to Ukraine on March 29.

According to der Spiegel, the additional costs are "objectively unavoidable because, without continued support, there is a serious risk that Ukraine will lose its defensive struggle against the Russian aggressor, with unpredictable consequences for the European peace order".

On March 27, Germany followed through on their pledge and transferred 18 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, along with roughly 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles and "a large package" of weapons and spare parts.