“This is an important signal at a time when Ukraine must continue its fight while international attention is focused on Israel and Gaza,” Minister Boris Pistorius said on ARD television.
The increase in military aid is also a response to this year’s experience, which “showed that the amounts concerned were quickly used up,” he added.
The federal government had initially planned aid worth four billion euros, primarily for military equipment.
The decision to increase the contribution is to be formalized in a vote in parliament on Thursday.
Since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, Germany has made an important contribution to supporting Kiev and is providing Ukraine with around 22 billion euros in humanitarian, financial and military aid.
Berlin sent tanks, armored vehicles, ammunition and antiaircraft systems to Ukraine.
The German announcement comes at a time when there are signs that the Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces may be stalling.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory launched on February 24 last year plunged Europe into what is probably the worst security crisis since the Second World War (19391945).
Ukraine’s Western allies have supplied Kiev with weapons and adopted several sanctions packages against Russian interests in an attempt to limit Moscow’s ability to finance the war effort.
Also read: Zelensky argues Ukraine should ‘prepare’ for winter attacks
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