German FM calls for 'protective shield' for Ukraine in winter

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reiterated on Monday her call for a "protective shield" for Ukraine ahead of the upcoming winter, arriving at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Kiev, reported dpa.

This would include the expansion of air defence, the supply of electricity generators and the strengthening of the energy supply as a whole, she said.

"Last winter, we saw the brutal way in which the Russian president [Vladimir Putin] is also waging this war by deliberately attacking electricity plants," Baerbock stated.

The minister said that Putin was also hoping to make the water supply collapse this way at temperatures of 20 degrees below freezing.

"We have to prevent this as far as possible with everything we have," Baerbock added.

Germany has already provided Ukraine with far-ranging support, including with air defence systems such as Iris-T and Patriot.