Sharjah24 - AFP: Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmygal on Sunday voiced hopes that Germany would become a leading player helping Kyiv to build up its air defences, as he sought more heavy weapons for Kyiv from Berlin.
xShmygal is the first high-level Ukrainian official to visit Germany in months, in a sign of eased tensions between Kyiv and Berlin after a rocky patch.
Germany's initial stuttering response on providing military support to Kyiv following Russia's invasion of Ukraine had sparked consternation.
But Shmygal acknowledged during his visit that Germany has since significantly stepped up its military aid, with heavy armaments like the tank howitzer 2000 or MARS rocket launchers all "working well on the battle field".
The air defence system Iris-T is expected to be delivered in the autumn, he said, adding that Ukraine "hopes that Germany will become one of the leaders in the process of developing Ukrainian air defence".
In a speech on his vision for Europe on Monday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz had said he saw Germany taking on "special responsibility" to help Ukraine build up its artillery and air defence systems.
Defence ministers of NATO allies are expected to arrive in Germany on Thursday for a meeting led by the United States to coordinate military needs for Ukraine.
Ahead of the talks, Scholz stressed Germany's commitment to bolstering Ukraine, but added that it would be done in coordination with "our friends and allies".
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