Germany pledges IRIS-T air defenses, tanks, shells in new aid package for Ukraine

Germany will provide four IRIS-T air defense systems, 15 Leopard 1 tanks, reconnaissance drones, and 100,000 artillery rounds to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on April 11, according to N-tv.

Pistorius said Germany plans to send more IRIS-T systems in the coming years and confirmed the upcoming delivery of 1,100 additional ground surveillance radars.

The German assistance is also to include 120 MANPADS launchers, 25 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and 14 artillery pieces. Pistorius also confirmed that 30 Patriot air defense missiles have already been delivered, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

The announcement coincided with a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels, co-chaired by the U.K. and Germany.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to participate via video link.

Germany remains one of Ukraine’s top military donors in Europe. On March 19, the German Finance Ministry confirmed that an additional 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) would be allocated to Ukraine on top of the 4 billion euros ($4.36 billion) already earmarked for 2025.

Berlin’s latest package underscores continued European military backing for Kyiv amid growing uncertainty over U.S. commitments.

6 countries ready to send troops for Ukraine ‘reassurance force’ so far, AFP reports

The U.K., France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and another unnamed country stand ready to send their soldiers, while other leaders want to see a more detailed plan before making commitments, AFP reported.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek