German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the war in Ukraine has entered a “potentially decisive phase.”
In an interview with Der Spiegel on Thursday, Pistorius said the upcoming NATO summit is expected to approve a €40 billion ($43 billion) support fund for Ukraine, with Germany contributing around €12 billion ($13.7 billion).
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He said that Ukraine urgently needs funding to expand domestic weapons production and sustain its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Ukraine needs money to produce weapons and to defend itself against Russia. I see it as our common responsibility not to let up,” Pistorius said.
Pistorius’s remarks echoed those from Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who said in a recent interview that Ukraine has regained the initiative on the battlefield but “[needs] the next level of aid to be able to finish the job” before Russia adapts.
Pistorius also said Germany’s armed forces are significantly more combat-ready than they were in 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
According to Pistorius, although capability gaps remain and some ordered equipment has yet to be delivered, the Bundeswehr has improved substantially over the past three years.
He said Germany has also expanded personnel, intensified military training, increased defense production, and developed new capabilities – particularly in drone warfare – drawing heavily on lessons from Ukraine’s battlefield experience.
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Danish support
On Tuesday, Denmark announced a new military assistance package worth approximately 4.4 billion Danish kroner ($690 million) for Ukraine.
According to Denmark’s defense ministry, the country’s 30th military aid package will include additional ammunition, weapons, military equipment, and funding for training Ukrainian troops.
“Denmark stands unwaveringly behind Ukraine. Ukraine’s fight for freedom is also Europe’s fight, and we cannot afford to fail the Ukrainians when they need us most,” Danish Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus said.
The package also provides additional funding for long-range artillery ammunition, which Danish officials described as one of Ukraine’s most urgent battlefield needs.
According to the Danish government, Copenhagen has now committed approximately 76.8 billion Danish kroner (about $12 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine.
EU defense loan
Ukraine has also received €3.9 billion ($4.6 billion) from the EU as the first defense payment under the Ukraine Support Loan program.
The funds are aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense industry, expanding drone production, and supporting urgent military procurement.
“This first defense installment under the Ukraine Support Loan is an important practical step in implementing the EU’s new support format for Ukraine,” Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said, according to the ministry’s press release.
According to the finance ministry, the new mechanism is designed to provide Ukraine with more predictable medium-term financing while helping meet both immediate wartime needs and longer-term budgetary requirements.
Officials said the program will also allow the government to better plan defense spending while maintaining financial stability.
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