German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated Monday that Germany has exhausted its capacity to provide Ukraine with additional U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems, noting the nation has already “done disproportionately much” for Kiev’s air defense.
According to Pistorius, Germany has allocated nearly €20 billion ($23 billion) in military aid to Ukraine since February 2022—making it the second-largest supplier of weapons after the United States. “We have handed over more than a third of our capabilities,” he said.
Pistorius explained that Berlin is currently retooling its own military training and maintenance infrastructure while awaiting replacements for systems already delivered to Ukraine, preventing further transfers of air defense systems.
Germany’s arms exports to Ukraine fell significantly in the past year, with approvals dropping from €8.15 billion ($9.73 billion) in 2024 to €1.14 billion ($1.34 billion) by December 8, 2025. The government still plans to allocate €11.5 billion ($13.72 billion) this year for military support, including artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and two additional Patriot systems.
Earlier in January, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky criticized European allies for not moving quickly enough to fund a scheme for purchasing U.S.-made weapons, calling the progress “insufficient.” His remarks have been widely condemned as counterproductive to Ukraine’s defense efforts.
