German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the transfer of another IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine.
Points of attention
- Germany has announced the transfer of another IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine, supporting the country's defense capabilities in the face of the conflict with Russia.
- The provision of IRIS-T air defense systems aims to strengthen Ukrainian infrastructure and protect cities targeted by Russian attacks.
What is known about Ukraine receiving another IRIS-T air defense system from Germany?
"Another IRIS-T system is being delivered now, I think today, as well as the Gepard SPAAG, which we continue to deliver along with all the ammunition, the production of which we have resumed," the German Chancellor noted.
At the same time, Scholz did not specify whether Ukraine will receive the IRIS-T SLS or SLM.
Will US aid to Ukraine continue in 2025?
Currently, American media outlets are reporting that the White House is preparing what is likely to be the final package of military aid to Ukraine, worth $1.2 billion.
Meanwhile, in a comment to journalists from the Voice of America publication, a senior official from the administration of President Joe Biden, Michael Carpenter, noted that the current US leadership will continue to provide assistance to Ukraine, some of which will continue to arrive throughout 2025.
He noted that the current administration, although it has only a month left in power, will continue to increase support for Ukraine.
"We will spend every dollar of the approved funding on security assistance. Some assistance is provided under contracts. So it will not arrive before 2025. But all the money will be used by January 20," Carpenter emphasized.
The White House representative noted that what Ukraine needs most right now is to strengthen its air defense systems.
It protects cities that Russia is relentlessly attacking. It is also important for infrastructure to have, maybe not Patriot, but other types of air defense systems. But there is a problem — many of our allies have already dipped so deeply into their reserves to provide assistance that they do not have much left. So we are going around our partners, talking to our allies, to get everything we can before the cold weather, "Carpenter emphasized.
The senior official also assessed the level of assistance and the development of the military-industrial complex of European countries.
According to him, after almost three years of war, Europe has not invested enough in its defense capabilities.
It’s time for our European partners and allies to step up, look at their stockpiles and their defense-industrial base. We have significantly expanded our… If you look at 155-mm ammunition, we doubled, then doubled again our production capabilities. And Europe is lagging behind again. They have done a lot in terms of the total amount of support provided. But if you look at country by country, there are some states that could do much more,” the White House representative emphasizes.
