Germany aiming to send Kiev 2,000 anti-tank weapons

The German Defence Ministry is aiming to supply Ukraine with 2,000 more Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons from Bundeswehr stocks, sources tell dpa.

The ministry is seeking approval for the shipment from the Federal Security Council, a government committee that handles security policy and arms exports.

Meanwhile, more Strela anti-aircraft missiles are headed for Ukraine from Germany, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in Berlin on Wednesday.

"Further Strela deliveries are on their way", she told German lawmakers.

Ukraine has so far received 500 Strela air defence missiles from Germany out of up to 2,700 expected deliveries.

Berlin is now one of Kiev's biggest arms suppliers, Baerbock told the Bundestag: "That is not something that makes us proud, but that is what we have to do now to help Ukraine."

The Ukrainian armed forces have already received 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles from Bundeswehr stocks, as well as 500 of some 2,700 Strela missiles from other stocks in Germany.

However, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been pleading for Berlin to send more defensive weapons to his country to counter Russian attacks.