German chancellor, Ukraine’s president discuss military aid

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised continued military support to Ukraine during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a government spokesman said on Thursday.

“The Chancellor reaffirmed Germany's unwavering solidarity with Ukraine in the face of Russia's continued aggression. He assured that Germany would continue to support Ukraine in the military area, in close coordination with European and international partners,” Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.

“President Zelensky informed him about the effects of the recent Russian attacks and thanked the German government for its military support, in particular for strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities,” the spokesman said, adding that the two leaders also discussed political and humanitarian aspects of the conflict.

During the phone call, Scholz and Zelenskyy agreed to remain in close contact and continue their constructive exchanges on the developments, including international efforts for a peaceful solution to the conflict, according to the spokesman.

Scholz is scheduled to host French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin on Friday to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine and ways to increase support for the Ukrainian military.

The meeting comes at a time of growing concerns in Europe about the sustainability of US military support for Ukraine, due to the election year, and the likelihood of a second term for former President Donald Trump in the White House.

In recent weeks, Zelenskyy appealed to European allies for more support and warned that the Ukrainian army faces critical shortages of ammunition, especially artillery shells.

Germany is currently the second-largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine after the US. It has so far allocated or pledged €28 billion ($30.5 billion) in military aid to Ukraine, and supplied advanced weapons systems, including IRIS-T air-to-air guided missiles, and Patriot air defense missile systems.