Germany, Canada pledges more self-propelled howitzers, rockets, tanks to Ukraine
Germany will supply Ukraine with 12 more self-propelled howitzers, with total cost put at €150 million ($166 million).
Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius revealed this on Friday at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at the U.S. air base in Ramstein.
The guns would come from the industry deliveries rather than standing German military stocks. Six of them are due to arrive by the end of 2024, and the rest will be delivered in 2025, Pistorius said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the opening session of the meeting in Ramstein and used the opportunity to plead for more weapons.
“We need more weapons to drive the Russian troops from our territory and especially from the Donetsk region,” said Zelensky of the heavy fighting taking place in the east of his country.
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 is a 155 mm self-propelled gun that can load 60 shells in less than 12 minutes. Ukraine currently operates at least 28 of these guns, with 18 more pledged earlier this year.
Germany also pledged to deliver 77 older Leopard 1A5 tanks in cooperation with Denmark and the Netherlands in the near future.
A new defense aid package was also announced by Canada, including 80,840 motors of decommissioned small air-to-surface unguided rockets CRV7, along with 1,300 warheads. The supplies are to be delivered in the coming months, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said, according to CBC.
The first tranche of 2,300 decommissioned CRV7 rocket motors was announced in June.
Ottawa also pledged to assist with the F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots and to provide the decommissioned chassis of nearly 100 M113 and Coyote armored vehicles.
