JAKARTA - German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said his country is committed to supplying hundreds of Patriot missiles to Ukraine gradually over the next four years.
The commitment is part of a new package of defense cooperation between Germany and Ukraine that was signed last Tuesday.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said that the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov and Boris Pistorius signed three agreements on the supply of weapons and financing of production with a total value of 4 billion euros or around Rp80.9 trillion.
Of the total value, Germany will specifically finance a contract of 3.2 billion euros for the procurement of several hundred missiles for the Patriot air defense system.
In addition, Berlin also bears the delivery of 36 IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine.
"Strengthening Ukraine's air defenses remains Germany's top priority," Pistorius said at a press conference yesterday, quoted by Sputnik, Thursday, April 16.
He emphasized that the air defense system was the most important component of the latest assistance package that had been agreed upon by the two countries.
"Therefore, air defense is a key component of the support package that we agreed on yesterday. This includes hundreds of Patriot guided missiles. These missiles will be delivered gradually over the next four years," he said.
Germany's move comes amid Ukraine's growing need for long-range air defense systems.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was facing the worst Patriot missile shortage since the start of the conflict with Russia, a situation exacerbated by the latest geopolitical escalation in the Middle East.
Aid from Germany is seen as crucial to preserving Ukraine's ability to fend off air and missile attacks, especially on vital infrastructure and urban areas.
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