Ukraine asks Germany to supply more defensive weapons

KYIV, Ukraine

Ukraine’s president thanked Germany on Tuesday for providing air defense systems and said more defensive weapons are needed to protect the country.

Speaking after a meeting with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the capital Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his pleasure over the delivery of modern Iris-T air defense systems.

Saying the system works very well in protecting the country’s airspace and people, Zelenskyy noted that he hopes they will be able to obtain more soon.

Touching on other military needs of Ukraine, he said Kyiv expects Germany's help in providing it with artillery systems, armored vehicles and other weapons.

Zelenskyy added that he hopes Germany will help with the reconstruction of the Chernihiv region.

Steinmeier arrived in Kyiv earlier Tuesday for the first time since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war in February.

Upon his arrival, he conveyed messages of solidarity and support to Ukraine's people through his spokeswoman.

German Presidential Spokeswoman Cerstin Gammelin shared Steinmeier's twofold message on Twitter which stressed that the Ukrainian people could "count on Germany" in continuing to support Ukraine "militarily, politically, financially and in the humanitarian sense."

During his visit, Steinmeier also visited the Chernihiv region, where he spoke with local residents and media outlets in a bomb shelter due to an air raid alert announced in the region.

During a phone conversation between the two presidents Thursday, Zelenskyy had previously thanked Steinmeier for the first IRIS-T air defense system sent to Ukraine.