German chancellor intends to increase military budget by €2bn

BERLIN (TASS): German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pla-ns to increase the military budget by €2 billion, mainly to help Ukraine. This was reported by Reuters on Friday, citing a source in the German government.
According to him, Scholz intends to spend an additional €2 billion on new military equipment, mainly to help Kiev. At the same time, according to the source, about €400 million of this amount is intended for the European Peace Fu-nd (European peace facility), which buys weapons f-or Ukraine, and part of oth-er expenses will be directed to bilateral supplies to Kiev and other countries.
On Wednesday, Scholz, in an interview with radio station RBB, said that Germany would continue to supply weapons to Ukraine, but would do so in coordination with partners, unilateral steps were ruled out. According to him, together with the Ukrainian side, a list of “possible supplies that the industry can provide” has been drawn up, but this will be “the right and reasonable weapon.” T-he Chancellor explained th-at he meant such weapons that would not require the presence of the German m-ilitary in Ukraine and for which it would not be necessary to send soldiers there with ammunition and spare parts.
On Monday, German Foreign Minister stressed that Kiev needs heavy wea-pons and that now is not the time for excuses in this matter. On Feb 26, the Ge-rman government approved arms supplies to Ukraine. Berlin decided to send 1,0-00 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger man-portable air defense systems to the authorities in Kyiv. Earlier that day, information appeared that Germany had allowed the Netherlands and Estonia to send obsolete German-made weapons to Ukraine.