At the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein on March 19, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced another aid package for Ukraine. As with the conference, the focus of the aid package is on artillery ammunition. The ammunition is the “most urgent need” for the defense of Ukraine. The Bundeswehr will release 10,000 shots from its own stocks at short notice. The extradition will actually begin immediately, said Pistorius. The federal government also wants to order a further 100,000 artillery shells from industry. He didn't give a date for this. Germany will take part in the Czech initiative to procure 155mm ammunition on the international market by covering the costs of 180,000 rounds. This ammunition is scheduled to be delivered from the middle of the year.
In terms of vehicles, the aid package will include 100 protected infantry vehicles and a further 100 high-performance transport vehicles, among other things to strengthen mobility on the battlefield and logistical endurance. The package is supplemented by deliveries of spare parts for vehicles handed over in the past. There were no dates for this either. The new 500 million euro package is not yet included in the federal government's list of military equipment for Ukraine.
In diesem Jahr habe die Bundesregierung bereits sieben Milliarden Euro vorgesehen, so Pistorius weiter. „Wir unterstützen die Ukrainer mit dem, was sie am dringendsten benötigen.“ In seinem Gespräch mit dem ukrainischen Verteidigungsminister Rustem Umierov habe er über den Bedarf an Munition, Luftverteidigung, gepanzerte Transportfahrzeuge und weiteres gesprochen.
Pistorius pointed out that money is often not the limiting factor, but rather the capacity of the industry. This is why capability coalitions are important. Following Norway's accession, 15 nations have now joined forces in the air defense capability coalition, which is led by France and Germany.
Gerhard Heiming