JABAR EKSPRES – Ukrainian and German ministers met on Tuesday (8/15) to discuss increasing military assistance for Kiev in its fight against Russia.

At the meeting, which took place in Kiev – the Ukrainian capital – they also discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

During talks with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner was briefed on the retaliatory strikes launched by Ukraine in the south against Russian forces.

“(My former) partner, defense minister Christine Lambrecht, in Odesa said, ‘Oleksii, no way!’” Reznikov said during the meeting.

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“But, now we have a number of tanks: Leopard-1s and Leopard-2s, and we have combined tanks. Portugal, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden have all expressed support for us,” he said.

“Tanks from Western countries for Ukraine are an ‘iron fist’ in liberating our occupied territories,” he said, adding.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Reznikov said Ukraine’s current priority is to have additional air defense systems, ammunition, and various armored vehicles such as medical cars.

The medical vehicles, he said, have proven to be a very important facility for transporting wounded Ukrainian soldiers – from the front lines of battle to military hospitals.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Lindner emphasized Germany’s support for Ukraine’s unity and independence.

He also said that the German Government is ready to cooperate with the Ukrainian Government on various issues, according to the statement.

“We have established an effective system for fruitful cooperation … Our cooperation during the war was an affirmation of our shared values,” Lindner said.