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Germany Announces New Ukraine Military Aid Package With Air-to-Air Missiles and IRIS-T Boost
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German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has announced a new package of military assistance for Ukraine, including a three-digit number of air-to-air missiles from German stockpiles, as well as plans for joint production of ground-based robotic systems.
The announcement was made following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein format, according to UNITED24 Media correspondents on June 18.
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Pistorius said Germany will continue adapting its military support to Ukraine’s evolving needs, stressing that air defense remains a key priority for Berlin.
“We delivered another IRIS-T system to Ukraine. Very recently, we also accelerated the delivery of IRIS-T SLS and IRIS-T SLM missiles. In addition, we will supply a three-digit number of air-to-air missiles from our own stocks,” the German defense minister said.
During the same event, Pistorius announced that Germany will allocate an additional $200 million to purchase PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems, alongside a fourth $200 million contribution through the US-funded PURL weapons mechanism.
“We have no right to weaken our support for Ukraine even for a second, and on behalf of Germany, I can say that we are not doing so,” Pistorius said, stressing that sustained financing helps save lives by ensuring continuous supplies for Ukraine’s air defense systems.
He explained that the PAC-3 funding responds to a request from Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in support of the Jumpstart program, which finances guided missiles for Patriot systems.
The additional contribution under the PURL mechanism marks Germany’s fourth such payment and is intended to finance US-made weapons and ammunition that Ukraine urgently needs but which are not produced in Europe, particularly air defense munitions.
“We are demonstrating leadership, we understand what Ukraine needs, and we are calling on other members of the Contact Group to join in financing the purchase of PAC-3 missiles,” Pistorius added.
Moreover, he said that Germany has deployed two naval vessels to the Red Sea as part of preparatory measures for a possible future deployment in the Strait of Hormuz.
“As we are speaking here, the minesweeper Fulda and the supply ship Mosel are transiting the Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea. Units are being repositioned in advance for a possible mission in the Strait of Hormuz. This is a proactive and precautionary measure. We want to be ready to act quickly and deploy rapidly in the Strait of Hormuz if such a need arises,” Pistorius said.
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