Berlin has already “done disproportionately much” for Kiev’s air defense, Boris Pistorius has said
FILE PHOTO. © Global Look Press / dpa / Kay Nietfeld
[RT] Germany
is unable to provide Ukraine with any more US-made Patriot air defense
systems out of its stocks, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has
said. Berlin has already done more than its fair share to support Kiev,
he told a press conference on Monday.
Since the escalation of the
Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Germany has been the second-largest
supplier of weapons to the country, surpassed only by the US. It
allocated nearly €20 billion ($23 billion) in military aid for Kiev
between January 2022 and October 2025, according to the Kiel Institute
for the World Economy.
According to Pistorius, the nation’s
capabilities had reached their limit and cannot support any more air
defense system transfers. “Germany has done disproportionately much, particularly when it comes to Patriots,” the minister said. “We have handed over more than a third of our capabilities.”
Berlin
is still waiting for replacements for the systems it has provided to
Kiev and also needs to retool its own military’s training and
maintenance capabilities, he argued. “That’s why we cannot give away any more systems.”
Germany’s arms exports to Ukraine fell drastically last year,
according to last month’s data from the Economy Ministry. Berlin
approved a total of €1.14 billion ($1.34 billion) worth of military
equipment for Kiev between January 1 and December 8, 2025, down from
€8.15 billion ($9.73 billion) in 2024.
The government still plans
to increase its military support to Ukraine this year by allocating
€11.5 billion ($13.72 billion) towards it. The money is to be spent on
artillery, drones and armored vehicles as well as two additional Patriot
systems, according to a December report by Die Welt. On Monday,
Pistorius confirmed the sum but did not elaborate on whether Patriot
deliveries were still on agenda.
Earlier in January, Ukraine’s
Vladimir Zelensky complained that Kiev’s European backers are not moving
fast enough to finance a scheme to purchase US-made weapons for its
defense and called the month’s progress “insufficient.”
Russia
has repeatedly condemned Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine, saying
they only prolong the conflict without changing the outcome.