More allies send Ukraine weaponry as Germany faces pressure
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy airs frustration about not obtaining enough weaponry as Western allies conferred on how best to support Ukraine as fighting continues on day 330.
A group of 11 countries has pledged a raft of new military aid for Ukraine, they said in a statement ahead of a crunch meeting on arms for Kiev scheduled to take place in Germany on Friday.
The aid from countries including Estonia, Latvia and Poland will include tens of stinger air defence systems, s-60 anti-aircraft guns, machine guns and training, according to a statement.
Germany faces mounting pressure to supply battle tanks to Kiev and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aired frustration about not obtaining enough weaponry.
Denmark will donate 19 French-made Caesar howitzer artillery systems to Ukraine, the Danish Defence Ministry has said.
"We have been in continuous contact with the Ukrainians about the Caesar artillery in particular and I am happy that we have now received broad support from the Danish parliament to donate it to Ukraine's freedom struggle," Defence Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said in a statement.
Russian energy giant Gazprom will ship 25.1 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas to Europe via Ukraine, further reducing its supplies to the European Union. Russian gas exports to Europe via pipelines plummeted to a post-Soviet low in 2022 as deliveries to its largest customer plunged because of the conflict in Ukraine and suspected sabotage that damaged a major pipeline.
Gazprom had already reduced flows to 32.6 mcm on Tuesday, down almost 8 percent from the previous several days.
Moldova has requested allies strengthen its air defence capabilities as war rages in neighbouring Ukraine, although what the country calls Russian efforts to destabilise it have so far failed, President Maia Sandu said.
"We have requested air surveillance and defence systems," Sandu told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. "We understand that Ukraine is a priority" but we also hope to receive some, she said.
To Ukraine's west, fellow ex-Soviet republic Moldova has a tiny defence budget and has long had tense relations with Russia.Britain plans to send 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine to support the country in its fight against Russia, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said.Wallace, who was meeting with other defence ministers at the Tapa army base in Estonia, outlined a previously-announced package of military support for Ukraine."I can say we're also going to send another 600 Brimstone missiles into theatre which will be incredibly important in helping Ukraine dominate the battlefield," he said, including sending Challenger tanks.
Estonia will send military equipment to Ukraine worth some $122 million in its latest package of support for the war against Russia, the Baltic country's defence minister has said.
"What Ukrainians need most is heavy weaponry," Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told a joint news conference with his British counterpart and others.
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To Ukraine's west, fellow ex-Soviet republic Moldova has a tiny defence budget and has long had tense relations with Russia.Britain plans to send 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine to support the country in its fight against Russia, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said.Wallace, who was meeting with other defence ministers at the Tapa army base in Estonia, outlined a previously-announced package of military support for Ukraine."I can say we're also going to send another 600 Brimstone missiles into theatre which will be incredibly important in helping Ukraine dominate the battlefield," he said, including sending Challenger tanks.
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