Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) has announced the delivery of 5,000 military helmets to Ukraine.
The country's government asked for support in equipping its soldiers, Lambrecht said after a meeting of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag on Wednesday.
"We checked that immediately and we will deliver 5,000 helmets to Ukraine." This is a "very clear signal" that Germany is on Ukraine's side.
In the meeting with the defense politicians, she made it clear "how important it is that we all keep a cool head," said Lambrecht.
Existing discussion formats must be used “in order to find a peaceful solution to this conflict”.
If Russia and Ukraine are now back at the table in the Normandy format, this is “an important, a real sign”.
But it is clear "that there are also red lines in these talks," said the minister.
Compliance with international law, the integrity of states or alliance sovereignty are non-negotiable.
For weeks, the German government has faced calls for greater support for Ukraine in the military conflict with Russia.
It is your policy not to supply any "lethal", i.e. deadly, weapons.
"This is equipment, these are not weapons," Lambrecht said of the delivery of helmets.
“But that helps, that gives support.
And that is exactly how we will continue to work in this conflict.” The Federal Ministry of Defense announced last week that there was medical support for the Ukrainian armed forces.
Among other things, Germany is financing a field hospital that is being set up by Estonia.
In the meeting with the defense politicians, she made it clear "how important it is that we all keep a cool head," said Lambrecht.
"Pure symbolic gesture"
The Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin welcomed the promised delivery, but at the same time criticized it as a "purely symbolic gesture".
"It's just a drop in the bucket, it's not even a consolation," Ambassador Andriy Melnyk told the German Press Agency on Wednesday.
"Ukraine is expecting a 180-degree U-turn from the federal government, a true paradigm shift."
The Kremlin described the consideration of direct sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine conflict as "destructive". "Politically, this is not painful, but destructive," said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov in Moscow. The day before, US President Joe Biden had threatened for the first time that he would impose sanctions directly on Putin if Russia invaded Ukraine. "I can imagine that," Biden replied to a reporter's question on Tuesday.
In view of the tense situation in the Ukraine conflict, Germany, France and the United States warned Moscow against an attack.
France's head of state Emmanuel Macron issued a warning in the event of aggression: "The price would be very high." Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said that Russia was expected to take clear steps that would contribute to de-escalation.