German defense minister stated that Berlin will raise its military aid to war-torn Ukraine, which is battling to force out invading Russian soldiers, to 8 billion euros by 2024, reported AFP.
"This is a strong signal to Ukraine, which shows that we are not giving up on it," Boris Pistorius told the ARD news station, as world attention is focused on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Ukraine has repeatedly requested greater military assistance from its Western partners, but a counteroffensive started this year has failed to remove Russian soldiers entrenched in the country's south and east.
The boost in finances is in reaction to this year's experience, "which has shown that the planned amounts are running out quickly," Pistorius added.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz' coalition administration has agreed to quadruple the original aid package, which will primarily consist of military equipment, and the decision must be formally authorized following a vote by parliamentarians.
Germany has been one of Ukraine's key supporters since Russia started a full-fledged invasion in February, providing 22 billion euros in humanitarian, financial, and military help.
It has, however, objected to the transfer of long-range Taurus missiles sought by Kiev, fearing that they may be used to strike Russian territory. /BGNES
