Partners should send more ammo to Ukraine - Scholz

Ukraine's partners, besides transferring the required weapon systems to Ukraine, are also dealing with their maintenance, as well as increasing ammunition supplies.

That’s according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who spoke at a joint briefing with Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš after the two held negotiations in Berlin, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We make sure that Ukraine receives the necessary support to defend its state. This applies to both weapon systems and ammunition, which we have already started to supply," Scholz said.

He mentioned that a year into the Russian war, it is urgent to provide spare parts and elements, to set up facilities outside of Ukraine for the repair of weapons and equipment employed on the battlefield. At the same time, it is necessary to adjust the existing production of ammunition – both for new Western weapons and those that were transferred "from the classic stocks" of Eastern European nations.

"This will be a long-term task because we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes," the chancellor said.

He recalled that Germany is the second-largest provider of financial and security support to Ukraine after the USA.

Since the full-scale invasion, Germany has provided comprehensive support to Ukraine to the tune of EUR 14 billion.

As reported earlier, German defense concerns, including Rheinmetall, are currently restoring or creating new facilities for the production of ammunition.