Escalation concerns persist as Zelenskyy gets weapons boost in Germany

Ukraine has received a new military aid package worth $250 million, as revealed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday in western Germany.

Speaking at a meeting at the Ramstein U.S. Air Force Base, Austin said the funds would help bolster Ukraine's weaponry and ammunition supplies as its forces face pressure with Russia stepping up a renewed offensive in the Donbas region.

"Putin's malice runs deep. Moscow is continuing its offensive in the east of Ukraine, especially around Pokrovsk," Austin said. "The Kremlin continues to bombard Ukraine's cities and to target Ukraine's civilians."

Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy joined the meeting, alongside representatives of 50 allied countries. He said he used the meeting to press countries to support Kyiv's ambition to use long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory.

Zelenskyy said: "We need to have this long-range capability not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace. Russia's attempts to draw red lines simply do not work."

Despite the long-running public pleas for deep strike capability, key allies including the U.S. and Germany, have resisted handing over extended range weapons amid concerns it could escalate the conflict.

Kursk Operations

‌Roughly a month after Ukrainian forces launched a surprise mission over its border into Russia's Kursk region, Zelenskyy gave an updated assessment of his forces in the region.

"Today we control an area of more than 1,300 square kilometers in the Kursk region and this includes 100 settlements," he said, adding that a large part of that territory was abandoned by Russian troops: ‌"They simply fled when they saw our forces approaching."

He also said 6,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded in Ukraine's Kursk offensive.

Secretary Austin also added that the latest assessment from Washington is that 350,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since Moscow launched what it describes as a 'special military operation' in Ukraine. Austin said 32 vessels from Russia's Navy had been sunk, destroyed or damaged.

"The Kremlin's army of aggression is now on the defensive on its own turf," Austin said.

Neither the Russian nor Ukrainian governments reveal official losses in the conflict. 

In addition to the U.S. military support package, Germany announced it would hand over 12 self-propelled Howitzers to the Ukrainian Army, while Canada will provide 80,000 air-to-surface rockets and 1300 warheads.

While in Germany, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

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