Germany pledges 12 more self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine

Germany will supply Ukraine with 12 more self-propelled howitzers, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at the US air base in Ramstein.

Six of the advanced armoured vehicles are to arrive by the end of the year, with the rest to follow in 2025. They have a firing range of 30 kilometres.

The total cost for the 12 howitzers was put at €150 million.

"Germany's position is absolutely clear: We will support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary," said Pistorius.

"It is important to protect the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of sovereign states against aggressors such as Russia. Ultimately, we are also doing this in our own interests."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the opening session of the meeting at the US military base in south-western Germany and used the opportunity to plead for more weapons.

Zelensky said Ukraine was "grateful" for the Western military aid, "but we need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land and especially in the Donetsk region" in the east of the country.

In particular, he called for longer-range weapons - and a free hand to direct them against targets inside Russia.

"We need to have these long-range capabilities not only on occupied territory of Ukraine but also on the Russian territory. Yes, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace," he said in a 10-minute speech in English.

"We need to force Russia to seek peace. We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need – peace or Putin?"

On the 926th day of the war, Ukraine's allies - including US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin - met at Ramstein to discuss how they can continue to support the country under attack from Russia.

This was the first time Zelensky had attended such a meeting himself, perhaps illustrating the enormous pressure Ukraine is under amid Russia's steady advance in the east of the country.

Zelensky meets German chancellor

Zelensky met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt on Friday afternoon.

The subject of their one-on-one talks has not been made public, but it was believed that Ukraine's cross-border offensive into Russia's Kursk region was on the agenda.

The Ukrainian president had not informed allies about the offensive in advance. Ukrainian troops are using Western weapons deep inside Russian territory - allegedly including Marder armoured personnel carriers from Germany.

The turn of events has not gone down well in Berlin, where Scholz has long worried that the war could spillover into a NATO-wide conflict.

For this reason Scholz continues to deny the delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometres, which could be used to hit targets as far away as Moscow.

But Scholz has repeatedly said he does not want to let up on arms deliveries to Ukraine, even though opinion polls show the public growing tired of the war and sceptical of military aid.

Germany is the second largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the United States. The German government has earmarked more than €7 billion ($7.7 billion) for Ukraine in this year's budget and €4 billion next year.

The US secretary of defence had invited around 50 countries to the conference at the largest US airbase outside the United States.

Austin spoke of a "critical moment" for Ukraine and called on allies to provide more support. He himself announced an additional aid package worth $250 million.

This was the 24th meeting of the Contact Group, although most of the talks were held as video conferences.