Germany is sending seven howitzers to Ukraine, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced Friday during a visit to Slovakia. That means seven of Berlin’s Panzerhaubitzen 2000 systems—with a range of 25 miles—are headed east. And that’s “on top of five such artillery systems the Netherlands had already pledged,” according to Reuters, reporting from the Sliac Air Base in central Slovakia. Howitzer training for Ukraine’s troops is expected to begin next week.

Sliac AB currently hosts Patriot missile defense units, which Lambrecht visited Friday along with her Slovak and Dutch counterparts. See photos of that visit, via the German Defense Ministry, here. 

U.S. President Joe Biden called up Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday. The two “underscored their commitment to continue holding Russia accountable for its brutal actions in Ukraine,” and Biden “welcomed Germany’s provision of security assistance and recent pledge of additional humanitarian aid,” according…

More…

Source: www.defenseone.com