In December, Ukraine will receive a sixth IRIS-T air defense system and Patriot installations, according to Scholz. NATO countries plan to reaffirm their commitment to supporting Ukraine. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the violent repression of protests in Georgia and urged authorities not to frighten the population with the “Ukrainian scenario”.
In December, Ukraine will receive a sixth IRIS-T air defense system and installations for Patriot, Scholz said
Ukraine will receive a sixth IRIS-T air defense system, launchers for the Patriot system and Gepard self-propelled guns from Germany in December 2024. This information was announced by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a press conference in Kyiv after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, December 2.
Scholz said Germany has already supplied five complete IRIS-T systems, three Patriot systems and more than 50 Gepard self-propelled guns to Ukraine. He also announced that in 2025, Germany would continue to deliver air defense systems, howitzers, combat and reconnaissance drones, as well as Sea King helicopters.
“I am here today in Kyiv to send a clear message to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin: Germany will show great perseverance, and we will stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary,” said the chancellor.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also noted that he discussed with Scholz further strengthening Ukraine’s air defense.
“Today, together with the chancellor, we talked about further strengthening the Ukrainian air shield and the air defense systems that Germany provides us,” he said.
On December 2, Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv for an unannounced visit. He announced that Berlin was preparing a new military aid package for Kyiv worth 650 million euros.
A representative of the German Defense Ministry clarified that Germany will hand over a new military aid package to Ukraine by the end of 2024, including an IRIS-T air defense system. The German Defense Ministry also confirmed that this package will include IRIS-T air defense systems, Leopard 1 tanks and attack drones, as previously announced by Olaf Scholz during his visit to Kyiv.
NATO countries plan to reaffirm their commitment to helping Ukraine.
On Tuesday, a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers will begin, one of the main topics of which will be the situation related to the Russian-Ukrainian war.
A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council will also be held at NATO Headquarters. Furthermore, the Ukrainian question will be discussed at a meeting of Alliance members, without the participation of external partners.
This meeting will be the first ministerial meeting led by Mark Rutte as NATO Secretary General.
A formal written decision is not expected to be adopted following the meeting, but NATO Headquarters says the Alliance will announce a common position in support of Ukraine.
“We expect Ministers to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine, which continues to repel Russia’s brutal and invasive aggression, by exercising its right guaranteed by the UN Charter. We also expect ministers to review Russia’s hostile actions against NATO countries and confirm that these actions will not prevent Alliance members from continuing to support Ukraine and strengthen our defense,” he said. a NATO official said on condition of anonymity on the eve of the meeting.
Alliance ministers will also discuss the conflict in the Middle East and its impact on Euro-Atlantic security.
The events in Georgia are not included in the initially approved agenda for the meeting, but are very likely to be discussed at the request of participants, according to sources at NATO headquarters.
As Europravda reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said that Ukraine could join NATO without Article 5 applying to the entire territory of Ukraine, which would constitute a significant change in the position of Kyiv.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who is visiting Brussels, spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who will also attend the meeting.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemned the violent repression of protests in Georgia and urged the authorities not to frighten the population with the “Ukrainian scenario”
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned human rights violations and the use of force against peaceful protesters in Georgia, while accusing Tbilisi of attempting to intimidate its citizens with the “scenario Ukrainian” to discourage protests against democratic backsliding.
This is what emerges from a statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published Monday, December 2.
“The Georgian authorities must respect the fundamental right of citizens to peaceful protests, especially since the cause of the protests lies in the government’s decision to suspend the process of Georgia’s integration into the European Union, in contradiction with the European aspirations of the Georgian people,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
The ministry also expressed astonishment at the Georgian authorities’ attempts to pretend that they have not given up on European integration, while directing their actions towards Moscow – “as some infamous Ukrainian politicians once did, who tried to divert Ukraine from its path towards the EU and subjugate it to Russia.”
“We strongly reject the persistent attempts of the Georgian authorities to involve Ukraine in their internal political processes. The Georgian government should stop frightening its people with an imaginary “Ukrainian scenario” while implementing a “Belarusian scenario” in practice,” the statement said.
The ministry insisted that Ukraine remains committed to democratic transformations in Georgia as well as its European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed solidarity with Georgian diplomats who publicly denounced the Georgian government’s decision to remove EU membership negotiations from the agenda.
“We understand well the challenges that our Georgian colleagues face, because in 2004 and 2014, during the most critical moments in Ukrainian history, the diplomatic service of Ukraine defended the democratic choice of its people, setting an example of professional and civic courage.
We are convinced that European integration is the key to stability, prosperity and strengthening democratic institutions in Georgia, and we aspire to a successful future for our peoples within the big European family. Our solidarity with the Georgian people remains unwavering,” the ministry added.
