German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced yesterday Sunday the doubling, to 8 billion euros, of the military aid his country is going to provide to Ukraine in 2024.

This is a “strong message to Ukraine” that “we will not abandon it,” Mr. Pistorius told public broadcaster ARD, confirming reports in the German and international press that the amount had been doubled.

The decision comes as “Ukraine must continue the battle” with Russia “at a time when some of the international attention has been focused on Israel” and its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the minister added.

Moreover, the increase in aid corresponds “to the experience we had this year”, which showed that “the projected amount” of aid was “quickly used up”, he added.

The German government initially planned an aid package – mainly military equipment – ​​worth 4 billion euros.

But the parties in Chancellor Olaf Solz’s coalition government agreed to double the amount. The decision is expected to be formally ratified by a vote in a committee of Germany’s lower house, the Bundestag, on Thursday.

After the Russian army invaded the Ukrainian territory, at the end of February 2022, Germany is among the countries with the largest contribution to the support of Kiev. Berlin has allocated some 22 billion euros to the Ukrainian government, offering humanitarian, economic and military aid.

Germany has sent Ukraine in particular heavy tanks, armored fighting vehicles, ammunition and various anti-aircraft defense systems. However, it is reportedly reluctant to supply it with long-range Taurus missiles because of concerns that they could be used to strike deep inside Russia.

Mr Pistorius’ announcement comes as the much-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive to retake territory seized by Russian troops appears to be making its mark and the line on the vast front little changed.

The head of the Ukrainian general staff of national defense, General Valery Zaluzny, judged in a recent interview with The Economist magazine that the two armies are in a war of attrition and positions, he spoke of a “dead end” and demanded that Kiev be given technologically by its allies in the West advanced means to exceed it.