Scholz okays military aid worth €700 million for Ukraine

Emmanuel Thomas, DPA I Tuesday, July 11, 2023

VILNIUS, Lithuania – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday a new military aid package worth €700 million ($770.9 million) for Kiev is to allow continued support for Ukraine in the short term, arriving at the NATO summit in Vilnius.

The G7 group of leading democracies, which includes France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the United States, Britain and Germany, is to issue a joint statement on long-term security commitments to Ukraine, Scholz said.

“For us, it is important from the outset that there are security assurances for Ukraine that can be effective once there is peace,” he said.

Scholz said it was important “to continue to advance the unity and solidarity that has been found” among NATO allies at the Vilnius meeting amid “threats to [NATO’s] territory.”

The NATO summit held in the Lithuanian capital, some 35 kilometres away from the border of Russia’s main ally Belarus, is meant to send a strong message to Moscow and demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine.

Leaders are to discuss Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations and back a long-term support programme for Ukraine to deter future attacks and modernize the Ukrainian army.

Some countries are also expected to offer weapons and security commitments to Kiev in the short term.