On July 21, local time, German Defense Minister Pistorius announced at a video conference of the International Contact Group on Ukrainian Defense Issues that Germany will strengthen its assistance to Ukraine in the field of air defense. The meeting was co-chaired by Germany and the United Kingdom, with the newly appointed Ukrainian Defense Minister Shmyhal and his predecessor, Umayrov, both present.
During the meeting, Pistorius declared that Germany and the United Kingdom would jointly provide Ukraine with 220,000 “Cheetah” anti-aircraft tank ammunition specifically designed for use against air defenses. He also stated that in addition to direct military aid, Germany would invest in the domestic defense industry of Ukraine, supporting its production of cruise missiles and drones among other long-range weapon systems.
Furthermore, Pistorius mentioned that he had reached a consensus with U.S. Defense Secretary Hertzberg last week on providing Ukraine with more “Patriot” air defense systems as soon as possible. Germany is ready to bear the related costs and is currently finalizing technical, transportation, and financial details with the U.S. side. (Zhang Yunfan, CCTV)