Germany steps up funding for US weapons for Ukraine, minister says

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Wednesday that Berlin will provide a further $200 million for US weapons and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine.

Wadephul's announcement is slightly higher than the €150 million ($174.6 million) previously pledged by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.

The funding will go to purchases through the so-called Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) financing initiative.

This funding scheme provides for ammunition and weapons manufactured in the United States to be sold to Ukraine's European allies and Canada, which will then make them available to Ukraine. Germany has already financed a $500-million weapons package

Wadephul also said that a further €25 million would go into a NATO trust fund for winter equipment and medical supplies

The increase in funding comes as NATO foreign ministers gather in Brussels to discuss further support for war-torn Ukraine as US-led diplomatic efforts to end the Russian war are ongoing.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Wadephul said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has not yet shown any real willingness to negotiate."

"Putin wants to continue undermining European and Euro-Atlantic security. He wants to test our defence readiness. He wants to divide us in order to weaken our alliance," he said.

"But he will not succeed," Wadephul added.