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Germany intends to purchase Patriot air defense systems, manufactured by the United States, to send to Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday.
Ukraine is urgently seeking stronger air defense in the face of frequent and increased attacks by Russia with missiles and drones.
"I talked about this with President [Donald] Trump last Thursday and also asked him to supply [Ukraine] with these systems," Merz said during a conference in Rome on the reconstruction of Ukraine.
The defense ministers of both countries are discussing a possible agreement, but no final decision has yet been made, Merz said.
Merz stressed that the US needs some of the Patriot systems for its own air defense, without saying exactly how many Patriot systems Berlin intends to purchase.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later indicated that Germany had agreed to pay for two Patriot systems.
"Germany is ready to pay for two of them, there is already an agreement," Zelensky said in Rome.
According to him, Norway has also pledged to purchase another Patriot system and send it to Ukraine.
This week, Trump, expressing his dissatisfaction with the unwillingness of Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage seriously in peace talks, said he had approved a supply of defensive weapons to Ukraine.
He then added that Ukraine's request for additional Patriot air defense systems would be considered.
Germany, which also uses Patriot systems, has supplied Ukraine with several air defense systems, but the Patriots are considered the most modern and effective.
The Patriot is capable of destroying aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at a distance of about 100 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.
Earlier, Merz pledged continued support for Ukraine during the two-day meeting in Rome, which aimed to discuss ways to finance reconstruction as Russian attacks continue.
"Our support for your country is unwavering," Merz told Zelensky, who also attended the meeting of Kiev's allies in the Italian capital.
Addressing Putin, the German leader declared: "We will not surrender."/ REL
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